Scientific leadership
The strategy developed by I-Stem’s research and development teams aims to identify innovative therapies applicable to rare genetic diseases by exploring the potential offered by human pluripotent stem cells.
Human pluripotent stem cells today come from two sources, one physiological, “ES” cells, derived from the embryo, and the other experimental, “iPS” cells induced to pluripotency by genetic reprogramming of somatic cells. These cells have two major properties, unlimited self-renewal which allows to produce in the laboratory any desired number of cells at the undifferentiated stage, and pluripotency which gives access, from these undifferentiated cells, to all cell types of the human organism. The mastery of these two cardinal properties has been the main focus of the work carried out by hundreds of research teams worldwide during the ten years following the emergence of human ES cells in 1998. The exploitation of these mastered properties for the treatment of genetic diseases is the objective of I-Stem.
The therapeutic strategies developed by the I-Stem teams are disruptive strategies compared to everything that has been done until now. However, they are integrated in two major therapeutic research fields explored, with other strategies, by many other academic and industrial players, that of cell therapy and that of drug discovery.
Translational Research Support Department
Yann Guivarch
Chief Executive officer
Graduated in International Relations and Health Economics, Yann joined the management of I-Stem in May 2022 after 20 years of experience in the health and research sector.
Graduated in International Relations and Health Economics, Yann joined the management of I-Stem in May 2022 after 20 years of experience in the health and research sector.
Marc Peschanski
Head of Translational Strategy
A Doctor and biologist, and a pioneer in the use of human stem cells for therapeutic purposes, Marc created the I-Stem Institute in 2005 and now directs its scientific strategy.
A Doctor and biologist, and a pioneer in the use of human stem cells for therapeutic purposes, Marc created the I-Stem Institute in 2005 and now directs its scientific strategy.
Houda Abla-Rahier
R&D Project Manager
Doctor in Molecular and Cellular Biology, arrived in 2022, Houda coordinates the development projects of new drug candidates, especially on pharmacology projects.
Doctor in Molecular and Cellular Biology, arrived in 2022, Houda coordinates the development projects of new drug candidates, especially on pharmacology projects.
Laura Brullé-Soumaré
R&D Project Manager
With a PhD in biology, Laura joined I-Stem in October 2023 as Project Manager in Preclinical Pharmacology.
With a PhD in biology, Laura joined I-Stem in October 2023 as Project Manager in Preclinical Pharmacology.
Imène Guiliano
Assurance & Quality Control Engineer
Trained as a quality engineer, Imène joined I-Stem in November 2023. She is in charge of implementing and managing the quality management system.
Trained as a quality engineer, Imène joined I-Stem in November 2023. She is in charge of implementing and managing the quality management system.
”A concentration of medical and scientific expertise, project management and quality in the service of excellent research.
Scientific Leadership
From left to right,
- Marc Peschanski, Head of Translational Strategy
- Alexandra Benchoua, CECS Team Leader
- Xavier Nissan, CECS Team Leader
- Christelle Monville, UEVE Team Leader & VP Research (Université Evry-Paris Saclay)
- Christine Baldeschi, UEVE Team Leader
- Cécile Martinat, Scientific Strategy Coordinator CECS IStem, Team Leader & U861 UMR Director.
