Montpellier Cancer Research Institute (IRCM)

The « Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier » (Montpellier Cancer Research Institute) is an Institut gathering research teams devoted to cancer research. Our federative research project is « Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics. Discovery,Biology and Clinical Applications ».

The research projects of the IRCM are organized according three scientific themes :

  • Nuclear receptors and hormone-dependent cancers,
  • Cancer profiling,
  • Therapeutic antibodies.
Developing projects allowing a better understanding of cancer biology, we try to improve cancer patients clinical management and treatments of this disease.

In a translational strategy, we develop bridges between basic research and applied projects in order to promote know-how and technologies transfert to the clinical practice.

The main purpose is to develop diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in global approach including basic investigators and clinicians.

As a result, this pooling of talents allows us to tackle efficiently the three major topics of the modern cancer research :

  • the identification of novel targets,
  • the study of the molecular mechanisms,
  • the therapeutic innovations.
Our research projects are mainly devoted to solid tumors, in particular, breast, prostate and GI cancers corresponding to the clinical recruitment at the CRLC Val d’Aurelle – Paul Lamarque.

The IRCM is a milestone of « Montpellier Cancer » initiative, a research network including all the people working on cancer in Montpellier and Languedoc-Roussillon.

Thanks to its “from the bench to the bedside … and back” approach, the IRCM contributes to the National Cancer Plan and Cancéropole Grand-Sud-Ouest (Cancer clusters).

The IRCM is a joint venture between Inserm (National Health and Medical Research Organisation), le CRLC Val d’Aurelle-Paul Lamarque (Clinical Cancer Center in Montpellier) and l’Université Montpellier 1.