People Who Inspire Us: Jean-Christophe Sambourin

Advancing anatomopathology, a matter of course

Since completing his medical studies in Paris, followed by an internship in cytological anatomy at the Institut Gustave Roussy, then as a university hospital assistant at Henri Mondor Hospital, Jean Christophe Sabourin has distinguished himself by his pronounced taste for innovation. At the end of his assistantship, it was at the Gustave Roussy Institute in Villejuif that he decided to continue his career, having been seduced by the modern organization of a cancer center and by the strong interactions that pathologists had with clinicians within committees (ancestors and precursors of RCP). For almost 10 years, he worked as a pathologist, mainly in digestive and gynecological oncology. A brief detour to the René Huguenin Center (now merged with the Institut Curie), where he was in charge of the department…before returning to Gustave Roussy as head of unit. His interest in research and teaching prompted him to embark on a career in hospital teaching.

It was the CHU Rouen that caught his eye. A high-potential hospital with a major anatomical pathology building, a sizeable team and a high level of activity, it was here that he stayed…until now!

And why anatomopathology?

Because it’s a medical discipline as well as a biological one. Pathological anatomy and cytology (pathology) is a medical discipline really at the interaction of biology and the clinic. Pathology enables us to better understand disease processes, and our role in establishing the diagnosis is crucial to the proper management of patients. The pathologist is truly at the heart of precision medicine. Molecular pathology, his field of choice, convinced of the applicative benefits and medical contributions of molecular biology to the whole field of anatomopathology, it seemed obvious to him that it was necessary to create an EPU (Enseignement Post-Universitaire) in molecular pathology. This he did in 2010.

Since then, it has become the EPU in “decision medicine, precision medicine”, and is attended by around twenty participants every year, eager to enrich their practices. His involvement at national level, as President of the Conseil National Professionnel des Pathologistes (CNPath), and at European level, as a member of the Council of the European Society of Pathology (ESP), should also be noted. In parallel with his activities as head of the Rouen University Hospital Department, he is keen to strengthen his presence at European level: interaction with his European colleagues is a passion for him, and is shaping the future of the profession.

Towards the perfect image? 

One of the first in France to be convinced of the benefits of digitizing slides, he recalls that “for a long time, anapathy was very manual, which led to different practices in the laboratories. There wasn’t enough standardization. We need to achieve standardization to ensure reproducible results. Immunohistochimy is crucial, as is molecular pathology. With nuclear pathology (also known as digital pathology), having a perfect, reproducible staining technique is a must.

Indispensable.

Towards a more automated discipline CHU ROUEN ? One of the first 2 labs to use Sakura’s Autotec (automated coating system) over 10 years ago. Since then, the SmartConnect robot has joined the team, in the summer of 2023, to relieve teams of repetitive tasks and enable them to concentrate on higher value-added tasks.

The future?

He’s already thinking about an automatic bladecutting system…when the rendements are more efficient.

Passing on and supporting: its fundamentals

The creation of the EPU in molecular pathology, his participation in the DU in molecular pathology, his first position as university professor in pathology, his positions as head of department, (former) president of the Société Française de Pathologie and Carrefour Pathologie. (the discipline’s national congress), thesis supervisor, researcher, and his role as head of a 70-strong team, testify to his desire to pass on, support and share. He’s accessible to his colleagues, his fellow-workers: they ask for him, they invite him, they question him, and he’s there.

Teaching pathology in the 1st cycle of medical school, he introduces students to histology and pathology, then helps more experienced students to understand the importance of pathology. Another vast subject is how to get your teams on board when you have a taste for innovation. Indeed, the decision to automate the CHU’s technical platforms is also transforming the day-to-day work of the teams, especially the technicians. So, together with the department’s health executive, he has launched a real change management process: a process of appropriating the new tools, and even rethinking the team’s day-to-day routine in order to move towards higher value-added work or new tasks, in a context where the number of cases is constantly increasing.

Attracting pathologists

The modernization of anatomical pathology is also making it more attractive to young people, which is reflected in the number of pathology interns on the one hand, and working on state-of-the-art equipment (automation) on the other! But it also has an impact on France’s own attractiveness in attracting doctors from abroad. This is a subject that has also caught his interest, as he is chairman of the national commission that examines applications from foreign doctors (16 pathologist positions have been opened in France for 2024).