New skills are necessary to meet the challenges of medical genomics which is rapidly becoming digitised and industrialised, and is now accessing the world of Big Data which imposes interoperability of encrypted and anonymised data, at international level.
Skills needed at the different steps of the care pathway, both at the level of sequencing platforms, data collector analyser (DCA), and laboratories involved, encompass several multidisciplinary fields:
- Genetics and molecular biology with current and future sequencing technologies,
- Computing (machine learning and deep learning), bioinformatics, bioanalysis and biostatistics.
- These needs are expanding to specific aspects of the care pathway concerning information, consent and delivery of results as well as advice and support for patients and families [ethical links, transparency, robustness].
These new skills concern levels of training ranging from technician to engineer, including medical personnel, clinicians and biologists, who must necessarily master, at least in part, some of them.
The « Training » working group of the French Plan for Genomic Medicine 2025 was placed under the auspices of the Conference of University Chancellors (CPU). The CPU has asked the Chancellor of the University of Evry-Val-d’Essonne, Patrick Curmi, to head the group including in particular Pierre Tambourin, former Managing Director of Genopole and university counsellor, the training officers of the first two sequencing platforms Auragen and SeqOIA, the Reference centre of innovation, expertise and transfer (CRefIX) and representatives from the ministries of Health and High Education.
OÙ EN EST-ON ?
- Poll of the entire training offer of French universities and public sector engineering schools through their web sites, including the training offer of medicine research and training units (UFR). This first objective was to identify the training that we believe to be necessary to deploy the French Plan for Genomic Medicine 2025. Only immediate vocational training was selected (continuing personal development – DPC, university diploma of technology – DUT, university of inter-university degree – DU/DIU, professional degree, Master 2, engineer degree).
- Neither the RNCP, nor the other databases to which the ‘Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation’ (MESRI) contain any information since following the law on freedoms and responsibilities of universities (LRU), no feedback or training update has been required or completed. The database we are making in the « Training » working group of the French Plan for Genomic Medicine 2025 will thus be a primary resource of common interest for the platforms and professionals of the genomics sector for health.
- This initial « inventory » work covers the entire value chain of precision medicine. The chain ranges from sample management to the interpretation of medical reports allowing where appropriate a diagnosis or therapeutic or preventive guidance, whilst including the specific aspects of computing, bioinformatics, « big data » or regulatory.
- In the case of the public to be trained to make the French Plan for Genomic Medicine 2025 an operational success, it appears that areas of training must be structured by function, that is – apart from medical and paramedical professionals, hospital personnel – also the patients themselves, their families and their support professionals.
- This led us to select over 600 training courses in France, with a greater offer for the Ile-de-France and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions, with a higher number of Master 2.