Dr. Hervé Perron, Geneuro-Innovation, France
Dr. Hervé Perron is a distinguished scientist and expert in virology and neuroimmunology, currently serving as the Chief Scientific Officer at Geneuro in Geneva, Switzerland, and as the Director of Geneuro-Innovation in Lyon, France. He is also a thesis director at the Doctoral School of the University of Lyon. Dr. Perron completed his Ph.D. in Virology/Neuroimmunology at Joseph Fourier University in Grenoble, France, in 1991, and later earned his HDR in Medical Biology from the Faculty of Medicine at University Grenoble-Alpes in 2000. Dr. Perron’s groundbreaking research focuses on human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), particularly the HERV-W family, which he originally isolated and characterized during his Ph.D. studies. His work has led to a better understanding of the role of HERVs in autoimmune diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and various psychoses, with a particular focus on their activation during infections like COVID-19. He has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and contributed significantly to the scientific community with more than 1,700 nucleotide and 500 protein sequences deposited in public databases. As a leading figure in the field, Dr. Perron has been instrumental in the development of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies targeting HERV-W, including the humanized antibody temelimab, which has been tested in Phase II studies for MS and is currently being evaluated for long/post-COVID symptoms. His recent work also uncovered a novel translational mechanism in human cells, revealing a mechanism of ribosomal readthrough that produces pathogenic HERV-W envelope proteins.
Professional Profile 🎓
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Summary of Suitability for Young Scientist Award 🌍
Dr. Hervé Perron is highly suitable for the “Best Researcher Award” due to his exceptional contributions to the field of virology, neuroimmunology, and medical biology, particularly his pioneering research on human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs). His significant achievements include:
Education 📚
- Joseph Fourier University, Grenoble, France
- PhD in Virology/Neuroimmunology, 1991
- Faculty of Medicine, University Grenoble-Alpes, France
- HDR (Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches) in Medical Biology, 200
Work Experience 💼
Current Positions:
- 2009 – Present: Director of Geneuro-Innovation, Lyon, France
- 2006 – Present: Chief Scientific Officer, Geneuro, Geneva, Switzerland
Past Positions:
- 2001 – 2006: Head of Neurological Biomarker R&D Unit, bioMérieux, France
- 1999 – 2001: Scientific Director, Stelhys, France
- 1993 – 1998: Project Manager, CNRS-bioMérieux Unit, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Lyon, France
- 1992 – 1993: Research Manager, CNRS-bioMérieux Unit, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Lyon, France
- 1988 – 1992: Research Scientist, Department of Microbiology & Virology, University Hospital, Grenoble, France
Awards and Recognition 🏅
- European Union Research Program (HORIZON-HLTH-2021-DISEASE): As a Principal Investigator (PI), Dr. Perron has been awarded funding for the HERVCOV research program, a European Union-funded initiative focused on diseases associated with human endogenous retroviruses.
- Recognition in Scientific Research: Dr. Perron has made groundbreaking contributions to the understanding of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) and their association with autoimmune diseases like Multiple Sclerosis, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, and psychoses. His work has been extensively cited, with 106 peer-reviewed publications listed on PubMed (2024) and 259 in Google Scholar.
- Phase II Clinical Trial Contributions: His development of temelimab, a humanized antibody neutralizing HERV-W Envelope (W-ENV) pathogenic effects, has been evaluated in Phase II studies in MS and is now being tested for long/post-COVID symptoms. This work is pivotal for the advancement of medical treatments for autoimmune diseases.
- High Impact in Molecular Research: Dr. Perron’s recent work on ribosomal readthrough, leading to the production of a full-length pathogenic HERV-W envelope protein, represents a novel mechanistic insight in human molecular biology, contributing significantly to understanding diseases linked to HERVs.
Research Skills 🔬
- Expertise in Virology and Neuroimmunology: Dr. Perron’s PhD research focused on isolating and characterizing novel retroviral elements related to Multiple Sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases. He is an expert in neuroimmunology, particularly in understanding the molecular mechanisms of HERV-W activation.
- Interdisciplinary Research: Throughout his career, he has collaborated across scientific and medical disciplines, from basic virology to clinical neurology and immunology, gaining a deep understanding of both the fundamental biology and clinical applications of his research.
- Biomarker Research and Diagnostics: As the former Head of the Neurological Biomarker R&D unit at bioMérieux, Dr. Perron developed expertise in the discovery and application of biomarkers for neurological diseases, contributing to better diagnostics and clinical interventions.
- Leadership in Translational Research: As the Chief Scientific Officer at Geneuro, he has led translational research initiatives aimed at developing treatments for diseases related to human endogenous retroviruses, bridging the gap between basic science and clinical development.
- PhD Supervision and Mentorship: Dr. Perron has been involved in supervising PhD students from diverse fields such as science, medicine, pharmacy, and veterinary studies. His expertise in guiding the next generation of researchers is a significant aspect of his scientific leadership.
Publication top Notes 📖
Identification of inflammatory subgroups of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder patients with HERV-W ENV antigenemia by unsupervised cluster analysis