Partners
Institutional Partners
GR-Ex - inIdEx (Université Paris Cité)
GR-Ex (Biogenesis and Pathologies of the Red Blood Cell) is an interdisciplinary research program led by Université Paris Cité, in partnership with the CNRS and Inserm, dedicated to the study of red blood cell biology and disorders, particularly sickle cell disease. Its aim is to bring together research teams in order to develop innovative approaches in fundamental and translational research focusing on hematopoiesis, red blood cell physiology, and diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for hematological diseases.
The program is part of the inIdEx 2025–2030 Excellence Initiatives, which support structuring interdisciplinary projects over a six-year period.
Through its Caribbean anchorage, the CAREST network will contribute to the development of scientific collaborations between European and Caribbean teams, promoting the sharing of expertise, the establishment of joint research projects, and the strengthening of initiatives dedicated to research and the management of sickle cell disease in the region.
Inserm – UMR-S 1134
The partnership with the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) is part of the activities of the joint research unit UMR-S 1134, based in mainland France, Réunion Island, and Guadeloupe.
The teams within this unit contribute to improving the understanding of the biological mechanisms involved in hematological diseases, particularly sickle cell disease, and take part in the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
The CAREST network was created on the initiative of researchers involved in this work in Guadeloupe, with Inserm serving as a key partner in supporting and facilitating the network’s scientific development and collaborations.
Instituto de Hematología e Inmunología — Cuba
Hôpital Pédiatrique Saint Damien (Nos Petits Frères Et Sœurs) Haïti
Saint Damien Hospital (Nos Petits Frères et Sœurs), a private non-profit institution, is the only pediatric hospital in Haiti. It receives a large number of sick children for both emergency care and regular follow-up. One thousand two hundred (1,200) children living with sickle cell disease are identified and regularly monitored despite the unstable political situation, which has created a disastrous security and economic climate.
International Sickle Cell Organizations
Global Sickle cell Network
Sickle Global Network is an international network dedicated to research, scientific cooperation, and improving the management of sickle cell disease worldwide. It brings together researchers, clinicians, health institutions, and patient organizations committed to fighting this genetic blood disorder, which is particularly prevalent in Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and the Americas.
The network promotes the development of international scientific collaborations, the sharing of knowledge, and the dissemination of best practices in screening, clinical research, and patient care. It also helps to structure a global community committed to understanding the mechanisms of the disease and developing new therapeutic approaches.
Scientific exchanges are structured in particular around these initiatives. The CAREST network has been represented within this international dynamic since its creation, and has taken part in the various editions of the Global Congress on Sickle Cell Disease, held in Accra (Ghana, 2010), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil, 2017), Paris (France, 2022), and Abuja (Nigeria, 2025).
Sickle Cell Disease Coalition
Sickle Cell Disease Coalition (SCD Coalition) is an international alliance of organizations committed to improving the care and recognition of sickle cell disease. Founded in the United States in 2015, the coalition, which benefits from the administrative support of the American Society of Hematology (ASH), brings together patient associations, medical institutions, public health organizations, and scientific partners in order to strengthen coordination among actions carried out against this genetic blood disorder.
Its mission is to amplify the voice of the sickle cell disease community, promote awareness, and improve health outcomes for people living with the disease.
The CAREST network joined the coalition in 2024 and takes part in several international working groups: Blood Donor Diversity, Global Perspectives, Research & Clinical Trials, and Sickle Cell Trait. This involvement helps strengthen scientific and community-based exchanges and ensures that the voice of Caribbean territories is represented in international initiatives aimed at improving knowledge, prevention, and the management of sickle cell disease.
Community Partners
Madrépore
Madrépore (Association for the Care, Organization, and Research on Sickle Cell Disease) is an association founded in 2013 in Guadeloupe. Its purpose is to support the development of medical, scientific, and organizational initiatives related to sickle cell disease and red blood cell disorders, in close collaboration with hospital institutions and healthcare stakeholders in the region.
The association supports research projects, promotes the training of healthcare professionals, and contributes to improving the care provided to patients and their families. It also carries out public information and health awareness activities aimed at increasing understanding of sickle cell disease and strengthening care systems within the territory.
In this context, Madrépore collaborates with the CAREST network and various scientific and community partners in order to support research, training, and regional initiatives related to sickle cell disease, thereby helping to strengthen the links between clinical research, hospital institutions, and awareness-raising initiatives across the Caribbean.
Patient Associations
Patient and family associations committed to the fight against sickle cell disease in their respective territories.
They carry out awareness-raising, health education, and support activities for patients and families.
Caribbean Associations
KARIB HORIZON
Karib Horizon is a Regional Multi-Stakeholder Network (RRMA) based in Guadeloupe, dedicated to the development of international cooperation and solidarity within the Caribbean basin and the French Overseas Territories in the Americas (Collectivités Françaises d'Amérique – CFA).
This network brings together a wide range of stakeholders, including civil society organizations (associations, businesses, and social and solidarity economy actors), local authorities,
and public institutions around shared objectives: connecting stakeholders, optimizing practices, bringing initiatives together, and strengthening the visibility of projects at both local and international levels.
CORECA
Created in 1991 by a small group of people passionate about exchanges, the Contacts et Recherches Caraïbe Association (CO.RE.CA) quickly established itself in the field of cooperation. It responded to a real need for integration within its natural regional environment. Grounded in its philosophy of people-to-people cooperation, CO.RE.CA became actively involved in exchanges, culture, and solidarity. The association now has a network of correspondents in most countries of the Caribbean region. It partnered with the Caribbean Studies Association (CSA) to strengthen its regional roots. It has also developed numerous local partnerships to energize relationships and reinforce Caribbean identity.