JEROME ROGER

CSO at VARIANT

Presenter

Jérôme Roger, PhD, is a senior research scientist specializing in retinal biology and gene therapy for inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs). He obtained his PhD from Université Paris-Saclay, with doctoral training conducted at the Institut de la Vision (Paris, France), and subsequently completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Eye Institute (Bethesda, USA). Dr. Roger is a specialist in retinal development and photoreceptor homeostasis, with a focus on the molecular mechanisms governing photoreceptor differentiation, survival, and degeneration. His expertise includes in vivo characterization of mouse models of IRDs and preclinical evaluation of therapeutic strategies. He has strong skills in whole-transcriptome analysis to investigate disease mechanisms, identify dysregulated pathways, and assess gene therapy efficacy across multiple retinal disease models. In recent years, his work has increasingly focused on the use of adeno-associated viral vectors for preclinical evaluation of gene-based therapies, particularly neuroprotective and mutation-agnostic approaches targeting photoreceptors. He has contributed to the characterization of CRX-dependent transcriptional networks and their roles in photoreceptor biology and retinal disease. His current research aims to develop innovative neuroprotective and CRX-based therapeutic strategies to preserve photoreceptor structure and function.