The Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL, UMR Inserm 1052 CNRS 5286 – Center Léon Bérard) is a research structure affiliated with the University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, the national health and research bodies (Inserm and CNRS), the Léon Bérard Comprehensive Cancer Center (CLB) and with the Lyon University Hospitals (HCL) as clinical partners. The CRCL was officially created in January 2011 and its contract was recently renewed for the 2020-2026 period. It comprises 24 teams, totalling about 500 members, including 150 researchers and lecturers. The CRCL aims at increasing its international visibility and the attractiveness of the Lyon cancer research cluster, at facilitating the transfer of knowledge from fundamental cancer research to clinical applications in oncology, and at developing teaching and training in oncology.

One of the main goals of the CRCL is to support the development of strong translational research to enable patients to rapidly benefit from breakthroughs in basic research. This bridge from “bench to bedside” was rendered possible due to the strong collaboration between clinicians and pathologists of the CLB and HCL and scientific teams of the CRCL, creating a continuity between basic research and clinical applications.