Francois Iris Email & Phone Number

Paris, Fr

Paris, France

Founder, Chairman and Scientific Director, Bio-Modeling Systems, Paris.Inventor of the CADI analytical process. Head of biological modelling, responsible for 1) the construction of predictive biological models serving both the industry (contractual work) and the scientific community (academic work), and 2) the development of novel data integration approaches.Major scientific successes to date (Public domain & internal research only):- Mechanism of h-Ras-dependent malignant transformation (Oncology. Model validated in vitro. Published. Collaboration with Inserm Unit 553); - Resistance to tamoxifen therapy (Oncology. Model validated in vitro. Published. Collaboration with Inserm Unit 553); - Müllerian duct regression (Embryology. Model validated in vivo. Published. Collaboration with Inserm Unit 493);- Integrins-dependent metastasis (Oncology. Model validated in vitro & in vivo. Collaboration with Inserm Unit 553);- Three new technologies in molecular biology and nanotechnology (International patents WO/2008/093010, WO/2008/093009 and WO/2009/090081);- Creation of a biotech company (Pherecydes Pharma) directly issued from BMSys internal research; - Rapid control of multi-resistant bacterial pathogens (Infectious diseases. Model validated in vivo. Published. BMSys internal research & Collaboration with Pherecydes Pharma);- Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (Neurology. Model validated in vivo. Collaboration with CEA Prionics Group. “Best Practice” award 2009 [USA]; Therapeutics class patent WO/2010/29131 A1; Selected by the DG Research of the EC in 2010 as one of the 3 pan-European examples of state of art in Systems Biology applied to medicine); - Integration of differential proteomics data into anxiety-associated molecular and cellular mechanisms in cingulate cortex synapses (Published; Collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry, Munich, Germany).

Paris Area, France

Co-founder (with J-L Pourny) and Scientific Director, ValiGen, Tour Neptune, 92086, Paris-La-Défense.Senior Vice-president Science and Technology of ValiGen, responsible for the elaboration and implementation of new research approaches and the creation of new technological and analytical tools directed towards functional genomics.Inventor of novel analytical molecular biology technologies (sequencing-free genotyping; high-efficiency probe-free differential gene expression assays, etc…) protected by 4 international patents (1996-2000: US # 6,221,585; 6,403,309; 6,420,111; WO/2000/056926) and of a computer-assisted integrative analytical process, rewarded by the European Eurekâ award (2000) and a European Development Grant of 18.6 M Euro.Following merger with a US biotechnology firm (April 2000), and the acquisition of a German firm (June 2000), ValiGen became an international group employing over 180 researchers and technicians.Major scientific successes:- Development and commercial implementation of technologies allowing efficient sequencing-free genotyping and probe-free isolation of differentially expressed transcripts;- Development of the first functional computer-assisted data-integration system leading to the construction of directly exploitable biological models;- Construction of the very first biological model of a complex human pathology (Ras-dependent breast cancer) experimentally & independently validated a posteriori.

Cambridge (Ma)

Founder & Director, DNA Sequencing Dept, Millennium Pharmaceutical Inc. ; 640 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.Third scientist (5th employee) recruited by Millennium (founded June 93) and creator, in September 1993, of the high-throughput sequencing Dept. The unit became fully operational (500 kb/ week) in January 1994, serving seven internal research teams (over 40 researchers and research assistants).All types of DNA sequencing (Differential display, EST, cDNA, genomic projects and YACs extremities) are simultaneously carried out. The Dept. undertakes cloning operations, templates preparation, sequencing, genomic and cDNA walking, contigations, structural and functional analyses, results dispatching and genomic projects management. The quality of the Dept’s outputs led to a US $ 75 M collaboration contract with Hoffman-LaRoche (Sept 94; at the time, the second largest deal in the history of US biotechnology).Dept major successes (July 1993 – July 1995):- Successful construction and operational implementation, in less than 6 months, of the then largest high-throughput DNA sequencing unit in the world. - Successful genomic cloning and sequencing of PKD1, the gene responsible for polycystic kidney disease (1/5000 affected individuals), determination of its genomic structure, identification of the protein’s functions and identification the causative mutations.- Discovery the UCP2 gene, associated with certain forms of obesity; Determination of its genomic structure and identification of the disease-associated mutations.- Discovery of the involvement and the role of EST1 in the development of an animal form of gestational diabetes.

Paris, France

Team Leader, Head of DNA sequencing Dept. Centre d’Etude du Polymorphisme Humain (CEPH), 27 Rue Juliette Dodu, 75010 Paris. Molecular genetics Institute created by Professor Jean Dausset (Nobel laureate in Medicine, 1980) and led by Profs Jean Dausset & Daniel Cohen.Invited by Professor Dausset (Jan. 89) to join the CEPH research staff. Nominated to the leadership of the DNA sequencing team in September 1989. By the end of October 1989, the team’s raw-data output had increased from 2kb/ week (August 89) to 65 kb/ week. Creator of the first high-throughput DNA sequencing unit in Europe.Major successes of the team (Oct. 1989 -June 1993): - Discovery of the glucokinase gene mutations associated with the MODY-2 form of diabetes;- Genomic sequencing and contigation of the entire TNF region (170 kb) in the human HLA class III locus (chromosome 6), and discovery of a new gene homologous to NFkB;- Contigation of the entire HLA genomic region (4,5 Mb) on human chromosome 6; - Invention and development of numerous new sequencing techniques; - Major contribution to the elaboration of the first physical map of the human genome.

Christchurch, New Zealand.

Research fellow (Lecturer grade), Dept of Medicine, The Christchurch School of Medicine, University of Otago, Faculty of Medicine, Christchurch, New Zealand. Laureate (1986) of a Medical Research Council Post-Doctoral Fellowship award (two nation-wide awards yearly, for a non-renewable two-years duration).- Scientific coordinator of the Cell Biology Group, Endocrinology section, Dept of Medicine. - Studies on autoimmune disorders, rewarded by a Medical Research Council Overseas Fellow award (1989; one nation-wide award every 2/3 years).

Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Zoology (Physiology/Genetics/Biochemistry)

Activities and Societies: MRC Overseas Fellow; Member of HUGO (Human Genome Organization); Member of Experts Boards EU DG Research.

Bachelor'S Degree, Comparative Physiology, 1St Class Honours