Yves Collette (left) and Eddy Pasquier (right) are two researchers well known to everyone at the Marseille Cancer Research Centre (CRCM). What do they have in common? CoreTech, which brings together all the CRCM’s research platforms. In this joint interview, they explain the origins of CoreTech, its objectives and its ambitions. In the second part, a few questions to help us get to know each of the two interviewees better.

Could you tell us what CoreTech is and what role it plays within the CRCM?
Yves : “CoreTech – which is deliberately not an acronym – brings together and coordinates all of the CRCM’s platforms. The idea for its creation first came to me in 2020. Having been involved in setting up three of the CRCM’s platforms (TrGET, as well as HiTS and DoSynth, with Xavier), it seemed obvious to me that an official structure was needed to harmonise the centre’s various platforms from an administrative and strategic perspective. With their distinct histories and identities, the challenge was to establish an overarching vision for all the technology platforms without compromising their identity and/or their tried-and-tested internal operations.”

You took over the reins at CoreTech a few months ago – what do you think the challenges will be over the next few years?
Eddy : “The first challenge is quite simply to continue and build on what Yves has started. One of CoreTech’s roles is to standardise the labelling of each platform and to coordinate all areas of expertise towards a common goal. Thereafter, the main challenge will be to gain a clearer medium-term vision of the centre’s technological development, to be able to anticipate major future technological breakthroughs in oncology so that we can position ourselves accordingly. In the longer term, CoreTech must forge its own identity, with a vision that is both original and innovative, serving the CRCM’s projects.”

Given the current revolution in artificial intelligence, can you tell us how you envisage its use in your daily life and, in particular, within CoreTech?
Eddy: “Personally, I find it difficult to envisage this, as the use of AI in my daily life is still rather abstract. I must also admit that I’m quite concerned about the potential for its misuse, even though I’m aware that certain tools will be able to make our work as researchers easier.”

Yves : “Overall, I agree with Eddy’s views. I would just add that, given the enormous amounts of data currently being generated – which are only set to increase – for each CoreTech platform, only AI will enable us to connect it all and integrate it into a higher level of information.”

Eddy, what motivated you to take the helm at CoreTech?
Eddy : “Yves contacted me about this and managed to convince me. There were several reasons why I accepted this new role:
1 – my passion for technology applied to science, particularly biology, which has been with me since I started out;
2 – the human aspect of this role, which involves a great deal of communication and dialogue with platform managers to coordinate everything; and
3 – the new challenge it presented for me at this stage in my career. A challenge that is both human and scientific, with a focus on the collective. Everything I love.”

Yves, after more than six years at the helm of CoreTech, which you founded yourself, you’re stepping down. How do you feel about this, and what has CoreTech brought to your career?
Yves : “My overriding feeling is one of complete confidence. This is a handover phase, and I am certain that Eddy is the right person to see this project through to a successful conclusion. I have no doubt that he will steer CoreTech in the right direction, and I expect him to bring his own personal touch to it. But on that point, too, I have no doubt.”

“For me, this marks the end of an era, and above all, I take away a great sense of personal fulfilment. Seeing the platforms evolve and having been able to foster this shared momentum around them is a source of great joy for me. On a more practical level, I am particularly pleased and proud to have been able to contribute to the creation of permanent posts over the past six years.”

Eddy, do you have any particular expectations of your own?
Eddy : “I am convinced that this role will be very rewarding for me on a personal level. I hope to continue the outstanding work done by Yves and, in my own way, to help people find fulfilment in their work.”

I also hope to be able to instil in them one of the professional values that matters most to me, namely teamwork. Over the coming months, we will all need to work together to put in place platform monitoring tools, a comprehensive user charter and an atlas, in order to harmonise and coordinate all the platforms as a whole.”

If you had to be a CoreTech platform, which one would you be and why?
Yves: “TrGET, without a doubt. I built it from scratch in 2007 and, bit by bit, it has become an essential and well-recognised platform, thanks to a simply brilliant team.”

Eddy : “I’d say an imaginary platform that would bring together all the current platforms. I simply can’t choose just one.”

What has been the most memorable encounter of your professional career?
Eddy : “I can’t single out just one. Several encounters have marked the different stages of my career.”

I would mention: Manon Carré and Nicolas André, then Maria Kavallaris, followed by Marion Le Grand, and finally Marie Castets. Whilst these encounters took place at different stages of my life and have each taught me specific lessons, all these people have one thing in common: they inspire me every day through their hard work.”

Yves : “Like Eddy, there isn’t just one encounter, but several.”

“I would, however, like to mention Xavier Morelli and Rémy Castellano. The three of us have very different personalities, but we complement each other very well and, above all, we are very much in agreement on the values that are most important to me.”

What’s your little treat (guilty or otherwise) during a working day?
Eddy: “I’ll admit it – a Red Bull after lunch. And it’s even better without my colleagues judging me.”

Yves : ‘I’m a regular at the sweet section of the Relais H.’

Yves, if you had to describe Eddy using a film, a book or a band, which one would it be? Eddy, same question, but to describe Yves?
Yves : “Without a moment’s hesitation, Luc Besson’s *The Fifth Element*. Not so much for the film’s plot as such, but more for the analogy.”

‘The CRCM is divided into four departments; in my view, CoreTech is the fifth, and Eddy is now in charge of it.’

Eddy: “I’d say *Lethal Weapon*. It’s definitely a buddy film! That film depicts the birth of a deep friendship between two men, a bit like Yves and Xavier.”

To get to know you better, let’s play a game: one or the other, or both.
Beer or wine?
Yves: “Wine”
Eddy: “Beer”

Pipette or keyboard?
Yves: ‘Keyboard’
Eddy: ‘Pipette’

Sport or drinks?
Yves: “Drinks”
Eddy: “Sport, so I can enjoy the drinks even more afterwards”

Online or face-to-face?
Yves: “Face-to-face, without a doubt.”
Eddy: “Same here.”

Early riser or night owl?
Yves: “Both.”
Eddy: “Night owl.”

Team meetings or data analysis?
Yves: “Team meetings.”
Eddy: “Me too.”

Lyrics first or melody first?
Yves: “Lyrics above all.”
Eddy: “Both. One can’t exist without the other.”

Summer or winter?
Yves: ‘Summer’
Eddy: ‘There aren’t any seasons anymore’

To have a mentor or to be a mentor?
Yves: “Neither. I admire a lot of people, but I don’t like the idea of a mentor.”
Eddy: “Given my age, I’d say I’m a mentor now.”

And finally, do you have a message you’d like to get across?
Yves: “Sticking to the main topic of this interview, I’d like to emphasise the importance of preserving the platforms’ mutual support system.”

Eddy: “I’d like to see more kindness and empathy in our workplace. We’re all convinced that we work harder than the person next to us, that we’re more overwhelmed than the person next to us. We should just try, every now and then, to put ourselves in the other person’s shoes.”