This original research group, which is made up with biologists, instrumental developers, signals and images researchers, physicians and medical doctors, aims at finding solutions to biomedical issues through new concepts from fundamental research fields. Therefore, the pluridisciplinary research has a medical purpose

Cancer is the first medical issue studied at the CRAN. The interaction between light and tissue is used to make both diagnosis and therapy more efficient. When tissues are lightened with specific light sources, whether they are sound or ill, they react accordingly. This enables the medical team to detect signs of early phase cancers or set up treatment by associating drugs (Photodynamic Therapy - PDT). Ionizing rays can also destroy tumors through radiotherapy. Work on how to take into account the organs movements while planning treatment as well as new robotized approach (Cyberknife) is being processed at the CRAN.

This field of research, which uses biology, physics, information/communication technology and medical science, deals with the whole matter, from fundamental research to the patient's hospital bed. It is being worked on by the «  Interactions of Radiation with Biological Tissues (IRBT) » team. The « Nancy Oncology Clinic » , or ‘Centre Alexis Vautrin' is the first partner in this research.

Neurology, especially through the study of the mechanisms of epilepsy, is the second topic of the research. The analysis of EEG-HR signals, SEEG and image modalities (MRI, PET) is done to locate, in time and space, the cerebral areas responsible for the seizure. Segmentation and ‘ registration signals EEG/Images (3D)' together with algorithms of sources separation enables to identify the areas and networks responsible for epilepsy, therefore to get a better understanding of the disease and certain cerebral mechanisms of normal patients.

This study is conducted by the «  Physiological Signals for Cognition and Epilepspy (PSCaE)  » team in close cooperation with the ‘Signal and Image Treatment Laboratory (LTSI)' in Rennes , the Neurophysiology laboratory in Marseille and the Neurology unit of the university hospital in Nancy .