The Sir John Vane Award for Best Publication in Pulmonary Vascular Research

Presented to: Dr Frédéric Perros

For his publication "Mitomycin-Induced Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease: Evidence From Human Disease and Animal Models", published in September 2015 in Circulation.

Frédéric Perros, PhD, is a tenured research scientist, leader of the group 'Physiology and pathophysiology of the pulmonary circulation' at INSERM U999, Pulmonary Hypertension: Pathophysiology and Novel Therapies, Le Plessis Robinson, France.

His main domains of research are pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and pulmonary veno-occlusive disease (PVOD). His goal is to decipher the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying both disorders and to identify new therapeutic targets for these, as yet, 'no cure' diseases.

He created and described the first animal model of chemotherapy-induced PVOD that also reproduce idiopathic PVOD (Perros et al. Circulation. 2015). Just after the recent demonstration of the potassium channel KCNK3 loss of function in some heritable forms of PAH, he also demonstrated that KCNK3 loss of function is a hallmark of all forms of PAH and contributes to the pulmonary artery smooth muscle and endothelial dysfunction responsible for pulmonary artery remodelling (Antigny et al. Circulation. 2016). He also established that endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition is linked to alterations in BPMR2 signalling and is involved in the occlusive vascular remodelling of PAH (Ranchoux et al, Circulation. 2015).

These three examples highlight his determination to keep his research program up-to-date regarding recent clinical observations, unmet pre-clinical needs and genetic studies.

• The Sir John Vane Award for Best Recent Publication in Innovation in Pulmonary Vascular Research ceremony will take place during the members' meeting of the Clinical physiology, sleep and pulmonary circulation Assembly on Sunday, 10 September from 13.00 in Room Bronze (Hall 4).