Highlights

Fewer post-op complications for colorectal cancer patients

Colorectal cancer surgeries are particularly prone to complications, with between 3% and 20% of patients affected by CAL, or colorectal anastomotic leakage. This infection, diagnosed an average of four to seven days post-op, is a major cause of mortality. CEA-Leti is engaged in the EIT Exuchek project, which addresses this issue. The institute is developing a comprehensive CAL monitoring system that will include a device that can be integrated into the surgical drain, an algorithm to trigger alerts at certain thresholds, and a user interface for caregivers.
The system will constantly monitor biomarker concentrations for early diagnosis of infection. The pH and lactate sensors, which must be sensitive, robust, and capable of providing repeatable measurements within the range necessary for the future system, pose a unique challenge.
Contact: camille.giroud@cea.fr

April 2021

Hydrogen could prevent Covid-19-related runaway inflammation

TIMC (a CNRS-Grenoble-Alpes University lab) recently kicked off its HydroCovid clinical trial. The goal is to evaluate the effects of hydrogen-saturated water* on Covid-positive patients over age 60 well enough not to require hospitalization. Several studies show that hydrogen could mitigate the runaway inflammatory response that sometimes occurs as a complication of Covid-19.
If HydroCovid is a success, it could lead to future trials involving the administration of hydrogen-enriched saline. Losses of hydrogen, a highly-diffusive gas, will be substantially reduced thanks to LEPMI’s materials specialists, who helped select the material for the IV bag, catheter, and distribution method and create the protocol for injecting the hydrogen into the bag.
Participate in the trial: http://hydrocovid.imag.fr/
Contact: marian.chatenet@grenoble-inp.fr

June 2021

CEA raises awareness of gender-based violence

Gender-based violence can take many forms, including seemingly-harmless comments that, when they occur in the workplace, are actually damaging expressions of gender discrimination. In February of this year CEA Grenoble initiated an awareness-raising campaign scheduled to run into 2022. In addition to raising overall awareness of gender-based violence, the campaign will also include factual information about what the law says, testimonials from people who have witnessed or been the victims of this kind of violence, and recommendations on how to respond.
The highlights of the campaign are a series of incisive posters on topics like gender-based nicknames, gender biases with regard to certain professions, and situations where “ordinary” behavior crosses a line; two 20-minute online classes that have been available to all CEA Grenoble employees since March; and several activities facilitated by a theater company.
Contact: arnaud.gaultier@cea.fr

October 2021

Minalogic cluster introduces WAM, a new online community

Minalogic’s 475 member organizations can use WAM (We Are Minalogic) to find and post news and information; showcase their products, solutions, and expertise; work together on multi-partner project proposals; create market- or technology-specific interest groups, and more! A total of 1,500 individual users are expected to take advantage of the platform initially.
Minalogic has traditionally supported its members mainly through events. With WAM, the cluster hopes to support its members every day of the year!
The online community will also make preparing project proposals more efficient, a necessary improvement given the sharp rise in the number of projects, up from 60 to more than 100 for 2019–2020, with similar growth again this year.
WAM will not replace popular Minalogic events like
Contact: damien.cohen@minalogic.com

December 2021

New book looks back on the start of the 21st century at CEA Grenoble

Local Grenoble newspaper Le Dauphiné Libéré and CEA Grenoble have published a 200-page commemorative book entitled Se réinventer au 21e siècle that recounts the profound changes that have reshaped the campus since the turn of the century. The decommissioning of the site’s nuclear facilities could very well have marked the beginning of the end. Enter Jean Therme. The then-Director of CEA Grenoble* spearheaded efforts to ramp up technology research, ultimately allowing the site to flourish, dramatically increasing its R&D partnerships and doubling its workforce from 2,000 scientists, engineers, and technicians to 4,000 in the space of 20 years. The book contains testimonials from more than 150 employees and partners.
CEA Grenoble employees will receive their own copies. The public will be able to purchase copies at Grenoble-area newsstands from December 14.

*from 2000 to 2013

Contact: philippe.bourguignon@cea.fr