BIO-Europe Spring 2027 Pre-Event Programs

Theme: Lyon UNESCO site - Vieux-Lyon

Schedule: 4:00 to 6:00 pm

Meeting point: TBC

This discovery tour of the Vieux-Lyon area invites you to walk through the cobbled alleyways of the Saint Jean area, via its miraboules (internal courtyards) and traboules, to discover the atmosphere which is so very characteristic. Urbanized as early as the Middle Ages, the area now boasts 24 hectares of buildings mainly dating back to the 15th and 16th century, combining Gothic and Renaissance architecture.

Go back to the times of the great fairs that secured the wealth and celebrity of the city and relive the history of leading local and Italian families who left their mark here.

Your guide will reveal secrets and anecdotes that have made the reputation of this historic area, which is the first area in France to have been preserved and inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List.

Tour provided by ONLYLYON Tourisme et Congrès's tour guides

Registration coming soon.

Theme: Lyon UNESCO site - Hôtel-Dieu From medicine to leisure

Schedule: 4:00 to 6:00 pm

Meeting point: TBC

The Grand Hôtel-Dieu, one of Lyon’s oldest hospitals, reopened to the general public in the spring of 2018 to reveal its spaces following large-scale renovation that lasted four years.

From its foundation to its restoration, explore the building’s five inner courtyards, which reveal its architectural evolution from the seventeenth to the twenty-first century, as well as its successive uses and future plans.

Now dedicated to leisure and open to the city, this historical monument has marked generations of Lyon’s residents. Its imposing façade on the banks of the Rhône was originally designed to impress visitors arriving from the left bank.

Relive the development of medicine through amazing anecdotes and the careers of great men who contributed to the life of this iconic part of Lyon’s identity.

Tour provided by ONLYLYON Tourisme et Congrès's tour guides.

Registration coming soon.

Theme: Neurotechnologies

Schedule: 2:00 to 6:00 pm

Meeting point: Departure from and return to Eurexpo

Location: 17 avenue des Martyrs - 38054 Grenoble (about 1h15 from Lyon Eurexpo)

Clinatec, the Edmond J. Safra Research Center, is an innovative biomedical research facility hosted in Grenoble by the CEA, which brings together the expertise of the Fonds Clinatec, the CEA, the Grenoble Alpes University Hospital and Grenoble Alpes University. They are working together to develop physics-based therapies where drug therapies have proven to be ineffective. At Clinatec, the biomedical research and development chain is unbroken from basic science to biological and preclinical studies, medical device design, and, finally, clinical trials at our in-house clinical unit.

A tour of the Clinical Unit (subject to the presence of patients) and the medical device development and biological evaluation laboratories, combined with a complete virtual tour of Clinatec and a presentation on Clinatec’s major projects e.g. Clinical Brain Machine Interface Technology and Photobiomodulation Implanted Device for Parkinson’s Disease, will be proposed.

Register here.

Theme: Designing the Respiratory Therapies of Tomorrow

Schedule: 1:30 to 5:00 pm

Meeting point: departure from and return to Lyon Eurexpo

Location: Centre Ingénierie et Santé - 10 Rue de la Marandière, 42270 Saint-Priest-en-Jarez (about 1h from Lyon Eurexpo)

The Biological Activity of Inhaled Particles (BioPI) department conducts interdisciplinary research focused on the interactions between inhaled particles and living organisms. Within the Inserm U1059 SAINBIOSE unit, its teams combine aerosol science, biology, pharmacology, and translational research to support the development of new inhaled therapies and innovative medical devices. Their work also focuses on assessing the effects of environmental and occupational exposures in response to emerging public health challenges such as microplastics and vaping.

This visit will provide an opportunity to explore technological platforms and demonstrators illustrating the research being conducted to accelerate the development of new therapeutic solutions, improve respiratory health, and better understand the effects of particles on the body. It will also be an opportunity to discuss with researchers the prospects for collaboration with stakeholders in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and medical technology sectors.

Registration coming soon.

Theme: Everything you've always wanted to know about the French ecosystem in emerging infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance

Schedule: 2:30 to 4:00 pm

Meeting point: Departure from Grafit Building

Address: IDCluster - Grafit Building / Biodistrict Lyon-Gerland - 321, avenue Jean Jaurès - 69007 (accessible by public transportation, about 1h)

Detailed presentation:

Infectious Diseases Cluster is the French national biocluster dedicated to innovation in emerging infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance. Its mission is to strengthen collaboration between academia, SMEs, industry, and public stakeholders to accelerate the development of innovative solutions. IDCluster supports its members by fostering

partnerships, facilitating access to funding opportunities, promoting scientific and technological excellence, and enhancing international visibility. The cluster also contributes to the structuring of the French ecosystem by connecting key players across the value chain from research to market.

Registration coming soon.

Theme: Biodistrict Lyon-Gerland, A healthy Place

Schedule: 2:30 to 4:00 pm

Meeting point: Departure from the Biodistrict Lyon-Gerland Metro Stade de Gerland

Address: Biodistrict Lyon-Gerland – Metro Stade de Gerland - 69007 Lyon (accessible by public transportation, about 1h)

Detailed presentation:

Birthplace of bioindustries, epicenter of biotechnology and health for the regional ecosystem and national showcase, the Lyon-Gerland Biodistrict is an ideal place for innovators in life sciences, biopharmaceutical leaders as well as global health actors.

You will discover its history and evolution, key players and premises.

Register here.