IHUs

IHUs, short for Institut Hospitalier Universitaire (University Hospital Institute), is a designation used primarily in France and some other French-speaking regions to describe hospital-based research and teaching entities that operate at the intersection of clinical care, medical education, and biomedical research. IHUs are typically affiliated with a university and a public or university hospital, combining clinical departments, research laboratories, and graduate education programs within a single organizational framework.

Governance and funding arrangements vary by country and institution, but IHUs are generally supported by a mix of government funding, university budgets, hospital resources, and competitive research grants. They emphasize translational research aimed at bringing discoveries from the laboratory to patient care and may house specialized centers, cores, or platforms for imaging, genomics, or clinical trials.

Origins and purpose: The model emerged as part of reforms to strengthen ties between higher education and clinical medicine, promote multidisciplinary collaboration, and concentrate resources for high-impact research within hospital settings.

Activities: IHUs conduct clinical and translational research, host clinical trials, provide advanced medical training, and offer specialized patient services. They collaborate with national and international partners, industry, and other research institutes to advance knowledge and care in their focus areas.

Notable example: The IHU Méditerranée Infection in Marseille is among the best known IHUs, focusing on infectious diseases, clinical microbiology, and epidemiology, and has played a prominent role in public health research and response.

See also: University hospital, Academic medical center.