Health research: an obvious topic for French-German cooperation!

On January 22, 1963, Charles De Gaulle and Konrad Adenauer signed the élysée Treaty. A "kick-off" to establish long-term French-German cooperation. Today, on the eve of the 60th anniversary of this treaty, the press is questioning the state of the French-German relationship.

Do our leaders lack inspiration to find common ground and maintain this "effort of friendship"? I suggest they invest in health research!

Friendship is nourished by a past, a present and a future. Our past makes us old allies: at 40, I am one of those who grew up in a friendly relationship with Germany, despite past family histories. Our present seems to be rocking? Isn't that always the case when you look at your feet rather than at the horizon! Our future should be obvious: we want to build a peaceful, democratic world together. We must be viscerally attached to it.

Research is obviously - intrinsically and politically - the best way to maintain this bilateral relationship, against all odds.

Researchers are expert in collaborating as they need others to go beyond the state of the art. Let's take advantage of this: research is excellent on both sides of the Rhine. It is then a question of long-term policies whose developments and outcomes go beyond the mandates of our leaders, increase the well-being of citizens, particularly in the case of health research, and maintain the innovation necessary to maintain a prosperous economy.

Ksilink is a French-German association for translational research. Ksilink uses artificial intelligence to develop highly innovative human (vs. animal) disease models for drug discovery. With an international team of 22 researchers, based in Strasbourg, and French and German industrial and academic members, Ksilink has been mandated to implement transborder research on a daily basis.

Let's maintain such initiatives in health research!

When we cannot find agreements on energy, on industry, on the war in Ukraine, etc., health research appears to be an obvious medium for collaboration and for not letting our friendship fade away.

Friendship must be nurtured. Long live the French-German friendship!

Antoine de Lacombe,

Managing Director of Ksilink