Apr 09, 2026
3 min read
Chronic wounds are not discrete subjects, they prolong pain, slow mobility and make treatment more difficult.In Lyon, a scientific initiative is now changing the scale of the problem.Public, academic and industrial researchers bring together tissue biology, clinical observation and the development of care...
Chronic wounds are not a separate issue, but they prolong the pain, impair mobility and make treatment difficult.In Lyon, a scientific initiative is now changing the scope of the problem.
Government, academic and industrial researchers combine tissue biology, clinical observation and care development.Supported by collaborative research, this building takes the form of a typical laboratory dedicated to skin healing, with a clear goal: to reduce the obstacles faced by ulcers, bedsores and diabetic foot ulcers.Exactly.
CNRS, Lyon 1 University and URGO joined forces on the same project
In Lyon, the Olympe Joint Laboratory brings together CNRS, Claude Bernard University of Lyon 1 and URGO in the field of wound care and healing.Presented as the first French collaborative laboratory dedicated to this field, the project brings together public research, higher education and healthcare companies to accelerate the transition from discoveries to solutions for care.
The university laboratory provides a detailed understanding of repair methods, while URGO adds the care needed to develop products.This alliance brings together tissue biology and recognized scientific expertise, then combines it with industrial innovation and wound care in the same device.
Why are chronic wounds such a public health burden?
The figures cited by the partners highlight the scale of the problem: almost 2 million people are affected in France, or about 3% of the population, and about 40 million worldwide.After this there are chronic wounds that heal slowly, recur and require long-term care.
The most famous cases range from bed sores to leg ulcers, not forgetting diabetic feet.Pain, smell, loss of movement, social isolation, frequent bandages, consultations and hospitalization burden the daily life of patients and care institutions, as well as permanent costs for health care.The most common conditions are as follows.
- ulcers of leg veins
- bed sores related to prolonged pressure
- Damage to the feet of diabetic patients
Six years of work to connect tissue biology and care
LabCom Olympe was established over a six-year period with joint management between CNRS, Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University and URGO.In Lyon, approximately 40 clinical researchers and engineers are mobilized to link the lab's observation mechanisms to the needs encountered in the service and between healthcare professionals.
The organization selects up to six projects per year, or 30 in total duration.This research program has a multidisciplinary team where biology, bioinformatics, chemistry and engineering intersect, with tasks divided between fundamental research, experimental validation and preparation of possible future clinical therapeutic applications.
CNRS is pleased to establish the OLYMPE Collaborative Laboratory, a new system of trust relations with the URGO Group, established since 2009 as a result of several scientific collaborations.
Three research areas at the heart of the laboratory
Three lines of Olympe work models.First take care of the healing and healing of the skin as close as possible to the cells, to monitor the development of damaged tissue and identify problems that delay or resume wound closure.
The second axis analyzes the response to physical stress, for example related to inflammation or aging.The third research addresses mechanical stress on the skin and aims to adapt medical equipment, from dressings to medical support materials, to limit the attack and best maintain support in the most complex clinical situations.
The results are already visible in old collaborations
The collaboration that gave birth to Olympe is part of a relationship that began in 2009 between URGO, CNRS and Lyon 1. This continuity has already produced several theses, work on venous ulcers and projects on the diabetic foot with visible benefits for translational research.
Over the years, collaboration has led to scientific publications, but also patented innovations that give tangible form to the results.The joint laboratory now aims to expand this base by better organizing the exchange between academic research, industrial development and the validation of concrete clinical applications within Olympe.
With OLYMPE, we are bringing about change on a large scale: by joining forces with the CNRS and Lyon 1 University, we are creating the conditions to transform scientific progress into concrete solutions for patients.
Guirec Le Lous
Lyon strengthens its position in health research
With Olympe, Lyon strengthens its visibility in health research on topics of major clinical impact.This system brings together a large national organization, Claude Bernard Lyon University 1, with 49,000 students, and French groups in more than 60 countries, providing rare scientific and industrial access to the Lyon location.
The laboratory also serves as a scientific training base for young researchers and people already involved in caregiving.Through topics ranging from healing to regenerative medicine, it strengthens Lyon's academic appeal and cements its place on the map of French biotechnology and hospital-university research.
