Michael Gantier, PhD

Monash Institute of Medical Research

Biography: Dr.Gantier, was trained as a biological engineer in one of France’s elite schools, l’Université de Technologie de Compiegne, between 1998 and 2002.
He completed his 3-year PhD on “The roles of double-stranded RNAs in mammalian cells” at University College Dublin (Ireland), in early 2006, and was recruited to join the laboratory of Prof. Bryan Williams in the Monash Institute of Medical Research (Melbourne, Australia), where he was recently promoted to the role of junior group leader.
The central aim of his research is to define how small RNAs such as microRNAs (miRNAs) or small interfering RNAs modulate immune responses.
With respect to the field of oligonucleotide therapeutics, Dr Gantier’s work has helped define the determinants of oligonucleotide detection by the innate immune system, which is critical for their successful therapeutic development.
The work he will present at this conference relates to the observation that certain oligonucleotide therapeutics (such as antimiRs) can have potent inhibitory effects on the innate immune system, which need to be assessed to ensure minimal unintended immune suppression in vivo.