The DDD challenge

One of the main elements of the training offered at IMS is the DDD (Drug Discovery and Development) challenge which reflects a teaching-research-transfer continuum and provides students with the opportunity to engage in a research project very early in their training trajectory, and to co-develop a solution to meet a medical need.

What is the DDD challenge?

Working in interdisciplinary pairs , and mentored for four months by private and academic partners , the students identify a medical need and develop a research project meeting the IMS requirements in terms of novelty, innovation, and potential for transfer. Following this team work, the pairs of students present their work to an international review board consisting of academic and industrial researchers, and the winners are awarded PhD funding along with an operating budget to support the launch of their proposed project . The DDD challenge thus intends to promote therapeutic innovation by drawing out and highlighting the talents of future young researchers as early as possible during their academic career.

Students at the heart of the project

What were your main DDD Challenge missions ?

Our mission was to develop a research project to target a protein deregulated in a very aggressive form of liver cancer, drawing on our respective expertise in synthetic chemistry and analytical chemistry. Our solution involved developing innovative synthesis and analysis methods for a new anti-cancer probe, in this case using a very specific RNA. We also had to consider the patentability and transferability of our technology, as well as the value of the know-how we will be developing during the course of this project. – Ida STACCIONI & Lucie MAZZUCOTELLI

Our main mission during the DDD challenge was to work in pairs on an innovative thesis project designed to fill a gap in the medical and pharmaceutical world. In our case, we will be combining our skills in chemistry and biology to develop fluorescent tools aimed at accelerating the development of new cancer treatments. To design this project, we benefited from the guidance of our laboratory directors and that of our academic and industrial coaches, who brought new and external perspectives to our advances. – BARBÉ Elsa & GRIESBAUM-DUBOURG Sarah

What’s next for your project?

First, we’ll be validating our Master’s degrees, then tackling the first stage of the project, which involves synthesizing and characterizing our probe, starting this autumn! – Ida STACCIONI & Lucie MAZZUCOTELLI

We want to start working on this project as soon as possible to bring it to life. We can’t wait to discover the adventures and progress the future holds, and we’re especially happy to be able to do it together – BARBÉ Elsa & GRIESBAUM-DUBOURG Sarah

Ida STACCIONI & Lucie MAZZUCOTELLI

Winners of the 2024 DDD challenge Promotion Pierre Fabre

"The challenge was stressful but stimulating! In the end, this stress leads to good things, including surpassing oneself. We have positive memories of the DDD challenge, as we were able to count on immense support from our coaches, supervisors and research teams, which greatly helped and encouraged us!"

BARBÉ Elsa & GRIESBAUM-DUBOURG Sarah

Winners of the 2024 DDD challenge Promotion AXA

Living this challenge together was also a real opportunity, enabling us to support each other both scientifically and on a human level.

We're delighted to see that our efforts have been rewarded, and we're sincerely grateful to IMS and AXA for the opportunity to bring our project to fruition."

"The challenge was quite substantial, but also very stimulating and rewarding. It was a unique opportunity to take a broader view, going beyond the scientific aspect alone, and to take a first step into the field of industrial valorization through courses or development workshops.

Skill-sets developed

Identify a medical need and perform market analysis

Develop and structure an interdisciplinary research project

Identify the (material, human, financial) resources required to implement a research project

Assess the potential for technology transfer