SEMINAR ; Dr Thomas SECHER - Inhalation of therapeutic antibodies for the treatment of respiratory diseases

Thomas Sécher is a Research Scientist (CRCN) at INSERM and co-leads the “Pharmacology of Inhaled Pharmaceuticals” team at the Centre d’Étude des Pathologies Respiratoires (CEPR) in Tours, France. With an interdisciplinary background in immunopathology, microbiology, and therapeutics, his research aims to bridge the gap between fundamental molecular mechanisms and translational biomedical applications. He completed his PhD under the supervision of Bernhard Ryffel at CNRS Orléans, focusing on the role of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) in innate immune responses using rodent models of human diseases, including pneumonia and inflammatory bowel disease.

During his postdoctoral training, he specialized in virulence factors derived from the gut microbiota, investigating early-life microbiota and their influence on immune system development and susceptibility to immune-mediated diseases. In 2016, he transitioned to an independent investigator role, developing and validating aerosol delivery strategies for biotherapeutics targeting respiratory diseases at CEPR.

He was appointed Research Scientist at INSERM in April 2021. Since January 2024, he has co-led the “Pharmacology of Inhaled Pharmaceuticals” team at CEPR alongside Nathalie Heuzé-Vourc’h.