Herbeuval Jean-Philippe | Immunology Cellular Interactions | Best Innovator Award

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Dr. Herbeuval Jean-Philippe | Immunology Cellular Interactions | Best Innovator Award

Dr. Herbeuval Jean-Philippe | CNRS | France

Jean-Philippe Herbeuval is a French immunologist and CNRS Director of Research, renowned for pioneering contributions to translational immunology and biomedical innovation. A PhD holder in immuno-oncology, he completed a prestigious Fogarty Fellowship at the NIH, USA, where he earned the Norman P. Salzman Award. He founded and leads the CBMIT team at Université Paris Cité, integrating immunology, virology, and chemistry for therapeutic discovery. Herbeuval has launched two biotech companies: Ermium Therapeutics, based on anti-interferon therapies, and Elyris Pharma, centered on PDK1 as a novel anti-inflammatory target. With 9 patents (3 licensed), €8.8M in research funding, and >70 publications (h-index 28), his innovations span diagnostics to therapeutics. He also contributes to policy and innovation strategy through national and international committees. Recognized for his vision, leadership, and mentorship, Herbeuval exemplifies the intersection of academic research and impactful biotechnology entrepreneurship.

Publication Profile:

Google Scholar

✅ Strengths for the Award:

  1. Exceptional Innovation in Immunology & Therapeutics

    • Discovered key therapeutic targets such as CXCR4 and PDK1.

    • Founded Ermium Therapeutics (2019) and Elyris Pharma (2024), securing over €12M in funding.

    • Holds 9 patents, with 3 already licensed — a key indicator of translational success.

  2. Proven Scientific Leadership

    • Director of Research (CNRS), Head of CBMIT at Université Paris Cité.

    • Established and led multiple interdisciplinary research teams and platforms (Cyto2BM, CBMIT).

    • Supervised 10 PhD students, 7 postdocs, and over 18 master’s students, many of whom reached elite positions.

  3. High-Impact Research Output

    • 70+ publications, including high-citation studies on interferon signaling in HIV.

    • Over 3,500 citations, h-index: 28 — showing strong impact and visibility.

  4. Strong National and International Recognition

    • Winner of the prestigious i-Lab National Innovation Prize (France, 2019).

    • Invited speaker at over 24 international conferences; reviewer for Nature Medicine and PNAS.

    • Advisor for funding agencies across the US (NIH), UK (MRC), China, and Brazil.

  5. Valuable Public and Government Engagement

    • CNRS Innovation Ambassador (2024) and expert for multiple national programs (ANRS, Campus France).

    • Actively engages in public science communication (TV, radio, press).

🔧 Areas for Improvement:

  1. Scaling Global Industry Impact

    • While Ermium and Elyris are high-potential, further proof of market adoption and therapeutic success will solidify his innovation leadership globally.

  2. Broader Patent Commercialization

    • More patents could potentially be moved from licensing to full-scale clinical trials or product development phases.

  3. Diversity of Therapeutic Areas

    • While the focus on interferon biology and immunomodulation is powerful, broader expansion into other disease domains (e.g., neuroinflammation, metabolic syndromes) could enhance reach.

🎓 Education:

Jean-Philippe Herbeuval earned his PhD in immuno-oncology in 2001 from Université Jean Monnet, Saint-Étienne, working under the INSERM network. He then pursued a highly competitive five-year Fogarty Postdoctoral Fellowship at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA, under Dr. Gene Shearer, focusing on the antiviral response to HIV. During this time, he earned multiple prestigious awards including the Norman P. Salzman Award and an NIH Young Scientist Cash Award. Upon returning to France, he secured a CNRS Junior PI position in 2006 and received his Habilitation to Direct Research (HDR) in 2008 from Université Paris Descartes. His rapid career progression continued with his appointment as Director of Research (2nd class) in 2013 and promotion to 1st class in 2019 at CNRS UMR8601. His educational path reflects an exceptional blend of scientific rigor, international exposure, and leadership in innovation.

💼 Experience:

Jean-Philippe Herbeuval brings over two decades of distinguished experience at the interface of academic research and biotech innovation. Starting with his postdoctoral fellowship at NIH (2001–2006), he led groundbreaking studies on interferon responses in HIV. Since 2006, he has served within CNRS, creating and leading the CBMIT interdisciplinary team. He established the Cyto2BM core facility and spearheaded multiple translational projects. As scientific founder of Ermium Therapeutics (2019) and Elyris Pharma (2024, in progress), he has successfully attracted venture capital and secured technology transfer agreements. His strategic involvement extends to national innovation committees (ANRS, CNRS, Campus France) and advisory roles. He has trained over 35 researchers and supervised major national/international grants. Notably, he combines deep scientific insight with an entrepreneurial mindset, as shown by his participation in Deeptech Founders and RISE programs. His experience spans leadership, translational science, investment negotiations, and scientific mentoring.

🔬 Research Focus:

Jean-Philippe Herbeuval’s research is centered on translational immunology, particularly type I interferons, autoinflammatory pathways, and host-pathogen interactions. His work explores immune dysregulation in infectious diseases such as HIV, SARS-CoV-2, dengue, and influenza, with a special focus on the immune-modulatory roles of dendritic cells and apoptotic pathways. He has identified novel therapeutic targets including CXCR4 and PDK1, leading to two biotech start-ups and multiple patents. His interdisciplinary CBMIT team integrates immunology, virology, medicinal chemistry, and computational modeling to develop innovative therapeutic strategies and biomarkers. He has a keen interest in immunomodulation, therapeutic interference with IFN pathways, and discovery of druggable checkpoints in innate immunity. With over 70 peer-reviewed publications, his scientific output has shaped current understanding of immune pathogenesis and opened new avenues for therapy in inflammatory and infectious diseases. His approach bridges fundamental research with practical applications in drug discovery and biotech development.

📚 Publications Top Notes:

  1. 🧬 HIV inhibits CD4+ T-cell proliferation by inducing indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase in plasmacytoid dendritic cells

  2. ⚰️ CD4+ T-cell death induced by infectious and noninfectious HIV-1: role of type 1 interferon–dependent, TRAIL/DR5-mediated apoptosis

  3. 🚻 Sex differences in plasmacytoid dendritic cell levels of IRF5 drive higher IFN-α production in women

  4. 🧪 HIV-1 immunopathogenesis: how good interferon turns bad

  5. 🔄 Regulation of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase and tryptophanyl-tRNA-synthetase by CTLA-4-Fc in human CD4+ T cells

  6. 🧠 Differential expression of IFN-α and TRAIL/DR5 in lymphoid tissue of progressor vs. nonprogressor HIV-1-infected patients

  7. 🧟 HIV turns plasmacytoid dendritic cells into TRAIL-expressing killer pDC via TLR7-induced IFN-α

  8. 🧬 Regulation of TRAIL on primary CD4+ T cells by HIV-1: role of plasmacytoid dendritic cells

  9. 💉 TRAIL in HIV-1–infected patients and its production by antigen-presenting cells

  10. 🧫 Recruitment of STAT3 for production of IL-10 by colon carcinoma cells induced by macrophage-derived IL-6

🧾 Conclusion:

Dr. Jean-Philippe Herbeuval stands out as a highly qualified and deserving candidate for the Best Innovator Award. His rare combination of scientific excellence, translational innovation, entrepreneurial leadership, and mentorship places him in the top tier of biomedical innovators. His work not only bridges science and industry but also directly contributes to addressing global health challenges. Continued support and recognition of his efforts will likely catalyze further innovation in therapeutic immunology.