An interview with Dr Amanda Silva BRUN, CNRS Research Director at Université Paris Cité, Co-founder of start-ups EverZom and Evora Bioscience, Coordinator of the DIM BioconvS
Cross-fertilisation between academic research and innovation
How do you define yourself?
I am passionate about academic innovation. I am deeply interested in the processes that link scientific discoveries to the creation of products or services in the market, thereby generating a positive socio-economic impact.
What are your current responsibilities?
I’m a research director at the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS – National Centre for Scientific Research) and Université Paris Cité, with responsibilities for science, innovation and the promotion of innovation. My research activities focus mainly on biotherapies and their biomanufacturing as part of scientific projects funded by the French government (France 2030) and the prestigious European Research Council (ERC). This research laid the foundations and built up the patent portfolio (4 licensed patent applications) for the creation of two spin-offs: EverZom and Evora Bioscience. With my colleague Florence Gazeau, I coordinate the industrial integrator IVETh to accelerate the technological maturation of university and industrial projects on the development of biotherapies. On the innovation side, I coordinate the DIM BioConvS project with my colleague Ariel Lindner, which aims to promote science and the socio-economic impact of research in the field of synthetic biology, biotherapy and biomanufacturing (€12.5m), by structuring and accelerating innovation in the Île-de-France region (>700 members). I’m also interested in public policy on research and innovation. I was appointed a member of the Scientific Council of the Île-de-France Region.
Jeanne Volatron, CEO of Everzom, Amanda Brun and Nicolas Rousseau, COO of Everzom
Your career has been marked by numerous diplomas and distinctions. Could you tell us about them?
I have a doctorate in pharmacy, two PhDs and I’m an alumna of Harvard Business School. I have had the honor of receiving some awards, I’m a winner of the Prix des Innovateurs de la Région Île-de-France (Île-de-France Innovators Prize) in 2020 and the Médaille de l’Innovation du CNRS (CNRS Innovation Medal) in 2021. I’m also in the Top 10 of the European Prize for Women Innovators awarded by the European Innovation Council (EIC) in 2022 and in the list of Innovators 2023 by Le Point magazine in France.
How is EverZom positioned in the field of biotherapies?
EverZom is a biotech developing treatments based on extracellular vesicles (therapeutic particles) derived from stem cells for the treatment of diseases such as Crohn’s disease fistulas and Verneuil’s disease. EverZom specialises in the manufacture of high yield vesicles using our proprietary turbulence method. EverZom’s proprietary turbulence vesiculation technology, designed by our academic team, is based on physical stimulation enabling cells to produce vesicles 10 times more and more than 10 times faster than current methods. These vesicles are then combined with a heat-sensitive gel for locally controlled release. EverZom is currently seeking to raise €12m for its clinical programme.
What is DIM BioConvS’ strategy for innovating the way we innovate?
We have an experimental approach to accelerating innovation that relies upon on an evidence-based precision approach. Our Innovation Day (>200 participants) and our Innovators of Tomorrow programme (aimed at 30 members) are formulated around questions, a hypothesis and metrics. We understand our community as a complex system with its own processes, flows, self-organisation, etc. This analysis enables us to put in place an analysis grid and identify the levers that will be useful in drawing up our action plan.
What are your activities at European level?
Together with my colleague Dario Polli, I recently launched the European INPACT! working group, which brings together 120 scientists and innovators from over 20 countries, including ERC laureates, to identify bottlenecks, recommendations and best practices for translating academic scientific discoveries into socio-economic impact. The aim is to engage in dialogue with political decision-makers in order to accelerate innovation stemming from research in Europe. Our first deliverable is a position paper that is currently being prepared.
Laboratoire Matière et Systèmes Complexes
UMR CNRS 7057
45, rue des Saints-Pères
F-75006 Paris
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-silva-brun-910301b3/
Originally published in ©Parlementaires de France Magazine, now ©Research Innov France.
