The Bioqualim project
In Western countries, a major nutritional challenge is to reduce the proportion of animal protein and increase that of plant-based protein. However, plant-based protein is mainly provided by cereals and pulses, and a wide variety of these is needed to meet the recommended daily intakes. However, given the collapse in crop biodiversity, the variety of cereals and pulses available is very limited, a situation that is also evident in the Lyon region. This lack of diversity is all the more alarming given that diet plays a major role in the primary prevention of chronic diseases, including cancers.
The BIOQUALIM project focuses on cancer prevention, using two complementary approaches:
- a primary prevention approach involving a pilot clinical study: dietary modification (introduction of spelt-type cereals) with monitoring of the oral microbiota, in particular the changes in certain bacteria (such as P. gingivalis) considered to be risk factors for cancer.
- a tertiary prevention approach within the framework of supportive care in oncology: assessment of health benefits following patients’ participation in peer-led cookery workshops focusing on spelt-based recipes.
The clinical study will be preceded by a survey of cereal consumption habits; in addition, nutritional analyses of several varieties of spelt grown in the Lyon region will be carried out.
The BIOQUALIM project is therefore an action research project involving various civil society stakeholders and research teams from complementary disciplines.
Project leaders:
Marie-Thérèse CHARREYRE
Marie-Thérèse Charreyre is a research director at the CNRS. She is a chemist in the ‘Polymers at the Interface with Living Systems’ division of the Ingénierie des Matériaux Polymères (IMP). Having previously worked on fluorescence imaging in infectious diseases and oncology, she is now focusing on preventive healthcare through diet and cultivated biodiversity, developing transdisciplinary projects centred on cereals and pulses.
Florence CARROUEL
Florence Carrouel is a senior lecturer at UFR d’Odontologie, Université Lyon. She is a molecular biologist and deputy director of the Parcours Santé Systémique (P2S) UR4129 laboratory, which specialises in public health. Her research focuses on the analysis of the interdental microbiota and the prevention of chronic diseases.
