Speakers 2024

Speakers 2024

Julien BRANCHU

EVerZom

Head of R&D


Julien Branchu focused his scientific career on the discovery of innovative therapeutic targets that could improve the daily lives of patients. After several internships in neuroscience field, he joined Pr. F. Charbonnier's group for his PhD. Using in vitro and in vivo strategies, he deciphered the molecular pathways involved in the regulation of SMN protein expression in different models of Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Thus, he has developed three approaches to pharmacologically reproduce the benefits of regular physical exercise in this severe disease: precise stimulation of NMDA receptors, down regulation of ERK cascade and downregulation of IGF-1 receptor pathway. He also took part in projects aimed at evaluating the impact of exercise on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or at restoring myelination in Multiple Sclerosis. His scientific knowledge and his technical skills were subsequently used in post-docs in Pr. A. Brice’s group at the Brain Institute (ICM). He performed the complete characterization of new mouse and zebrafish models of hereditary Spastic Paraplegia. This exploration on behavioral, histological and molecular levels combined with in vitro approaches also led to the development of innovative patented therapies. Under the supervision of Dr. F. Darios he conducted the first tests to prevent the ganglioside accumulation inside the endo-lysosomal system in this pathology. Initially using FDA approved molecules and then with genetic correction strategies using lentivirus or specific AAV; which gave rise to a collaboration with the company Dynacure. During these 13 years Julien Branchu had the opportunity to become familiar with various environments and a wide range of techniques, to present his work at numerous international conferences and to manage students and young engineers, while continuing his teaching activities. His will to combine academic and private research and to go ever further in the development of news therapies led him to be the first employee to join in 2019 EVerZom’s co-founders Dr. J. Volatron and N. Rousseau. In these last years, he has successfully carried out, with the R&D staff he recruited: the optimization and standardization of EVerZom’s disruptive method to produce extracellular vesicles (EVs); the scaling-up of this process in connected stirred-tank bioreactors under good manufacturing practices conditions; the required quality controls thanks to an in-house characterization toolbox and the improvement of the down-stream processing of the product of interest. He is currently leading researches on the mechanism of action of EVs and their therapeutic application in the context of regenerative medicine. Their most advanced development is the creation of EVerGel, a thermosensitive pluronic gel loaded with EVs from mesenchymal stem cells, to cure fistulas; a project in close collaboration with the MSC-med laboratory (UMR7057) and clinicians.

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