Dr. Jean Paul Thiery is an eminent French biologist renowned for his transformative contributions to understanding cellular adhesion mechanisms and their role in development and disease. Born in 1947, he began his scientific journey as a chemical engineer at Strasbourg University before transitioning to life sciences, establishing his independent research career with the founding of the Laboratory of Developmental Physiopathology at the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris in 1987. He subsequently held distinguished positions including Head of the Cell Biology Laboratory at the Institut Curie, Director of Translational Research at the Institut Curie, and Senior Principal Investigator at the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, demonstrating his international leadership across multiple premier research institutions. Currently, Dr. Thiery serves as a Senior Scientist at the Bioland Laboratory in Guangzhou, China, and is also affiliated as a professor with other institutions, where he continues to advance fundamental biological understanding while bridging scientific discovery with clinical applications.
Dr. Thiery's most groundbreaking contribution was the discovery of the first intercellular adhesive molecule N-CAM during his postdoctoral work, which established the foundation for understanding cell adhesion mechanisms in development and disease. His pioneering research on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) mechanism revolutionized cancer biology by proposing that malignant epithelial cells utilize developmental processes to disseminate and metastasize, a hypothesis now driving extensive international research efforts. With an impressive publication record of 480 papers accumulating over 55,000 citations and an H-index of 110, his work has fundamentally transformed our understanding of cellular mechanics, demonstrating the crucial role of the cortical actin cytoskeleton in adhesion reinforcement and mechanosensitivity. His innovative research has extended to developing new techniques for measuring cellular detachment forces and establishing the relationship between morphogenesis and adhesive status of cells, leading to four patents and his association with Biocheetah as a Chief Scientific Advisor, a company dedicated to accelerating diagnostic innovations.
Beyond his direct research contributions, Dr. Thiery has profoundly influenced the scientific community through extensive international collaboration, having presented his work at more than 300 conferences worldwide and mentoring numerous researchers who have advanced the field of cell biology. His current research at the Bioland Laboratory in Guangzhou focuses on oncogenomics and developing functional approaches to characterize bladder and lung carcinoma progression, with particular emphasis on applying EMT-based therapeutic strategies to increase the efficacy of targeted therapies and immunotherapy. As an affiliated professor at CCBIO, University of Bergen, Norway, he continues to bridge disciplines and institutions, fostering global scientific cooperation to translate fundamental discoveries into clinical applications. Dr. Thiery's visionary work continues to shape contemporary cancer research, offering promising pathways for therapeutic intervention in metastatic disease through the manipulation of cellular plasticity mechanisms.
