Laurent GREILLIER

After my medical studies at Aix-Marseille University, I specialized in pneumology, then quickly turned to oncology. Once my residency completed, I worked for a year at the Data Center of the EORTC (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer, Brussels), a unique center in Europe that offers global support for clinical trials in oncology. On my return to Marseille, I went back to a medical path and joined the Hôpital Nord, where I am currently Head of the Multidisciplinary Oncology and Therapeutic Innovations Department.

The study of biomarkers has become essential in oncology, particularly in thoracic oncology. Beyond prognostic biomarkers, a number of predictive biomarkers, which aim to anticipate the efficacy of a treatment, have been identified over the past 10 years, first for targeted therapies and then for immunotherapy. This is the area I am particularly interested in today. Stimulating the immune system against cancer gives spectacular results, but not for all patients, hence the need to identify in advance the patients who will benefit from the treatment and, on the contrary, those who may not respond to it.

In this context, I coordinate the biomarker component of the RHU The Pioneer Project, a major international research project that aims to understand, predict and overcome resistance to anti-PD1(L1) immunotherapy antibodies in non-small cell lung cancer. In particular, the project aims to characterize the tumor microenvironment in the first weeks after treatment, which should detect early indicators of response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. An ambitious endeavor, The Pioneer Project draws on the collaborative environment of Marseille Immunopôle, which brings together clinicians, academics and industry players committed to the benefit of patients.