Dr. Norbert Perrimon stands as a preeminent figure in developmental genetics, renowned for his pioneering contributions to genetic research methodology and signal transduction studies. He currently holds the distinguished position of James Stillman Professor of Developmental Biology in the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School, where he has maintained a vibrant research program since joining the faculty in 1986 at the remarkably young age of 27. As a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator continuously since 1986 and an Associate Member of the Broad Institute, he has established himself as a leader in genetic research methodology. Born in France, Perrimon completed his postdoctoral work with Anthony Mahowald at Case Western Reserve University before launching his independent career at Harvard, where he quickly made significant contributions to developmental biology.
Perrimon's groundbreaking methodological innovations have fundamentally transformed genetic research, most notably through his development of the dominant female sterile technique and his pioneering work in RNA interference technologies. His laboratory established the first high-throughput whole-genome RNAi screening approaches for systematically interrogating gene function in Drosophila, creating the Drosophila RNAi Screening Center at Harvard Medical School in 2003 and initiating the Transgenic RNAi Project in 2008 to generate community resources. He further advanced the field by developing CRISPR/Cas9 pooled screens in Drosophila cells with Ram Viswanatha, creating powerful tools for identifying mechanisms of toxin entry and other biological processes. Through these innovations, Perrimon has made seminal contributions to understanding multiple signaling pathways including Receptor Tyrosine Kinases, JAK/STAT, Wnt, Hedgehog, and Notch.
Beyond his technical innovations, Perrimon has profoundly shaped the field through mentorship and community building, having trained over 120 students and postdoctoral fellows who now hold prominent academic positions across the globe. Since 2015, he has served as Principal Investigator of FlyBase, the essential Drosophila database that supports research worldwide. His current research continues to push boundaries as his laboratory applies large-scale RNAi and proteomic methods to unravel the complex architecture of signaling pathways and their crosstalk in developmental processes. Perrimon remains actively engaged in studying the roles of signaling pathways in homeostasis, tissue remodeling in Drosophila muscles and gut stem cells, and hormonal systems involved in inter-organ communication, ensuring his continued influence on the future direction of developmental biology and genetics research.
