Pierre Ronco#

Full CV

Research

My clinical and research activities, as well as those of my group, have focused on the care of patients with glomerular disease and the elucidation of the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. As Head of the Renal Division (1995–2018) and Director of the INSERM Kidney Research Unit (1998–2018) at Tenon Hospital in Paris, I was able to foster an environment highly conducive to teaching and practicing translational nephrology. Over these years, I have mentored an entire generation of clinical investigators, three of whom have attained full professorships in Paris. In recognition of my contributions to training, I received a Doctor Honoris Causa from Louvain Catholic University for mentoring more than 20 fellows from Belgium, most of whom now hold leadership positions in universities or major clinical institutions in their country. Additionally, I have trained 20 postdoctoral researchers from Japan, China, Europe, and Maghrebian countries, all of whom currently occupy faculty or research positions worldwide.

This supportive environment also allowed me to host several Visiting Professors, including Daniel MURUVE (2016), now Chief of the Nephrology Department at the University of Calgary Medical Center (Canada), and Bob ATKINS (former President of the International Society of Nephrology) and Prue HILL from the University of Sydney (Australia, 2011–2012).

My group’s major contributions to clinical science, kidney immunopathology, and rare kidney diseases have been driven by a close, bidirectional exchange between the clinical division and the research unit. These collaborations enabled us to:

• Identify the first antigen, neutral endopeptidase, involved in a rare subset of neonatal membranous nephropathy, paving the way for the identification of PLA2R, the major antigen in adult membranous nephropathy.
• Discover a new mechanism of maternal-fetal alloimmunization targeting the kidney, expanding beyond previously known incompatibilities involving red blood cells (Rhesus) and platelets.
• Demonstrate the role of a food antigen, bovine serum albumin, in glomerular disease.
• Characterize a new syndrome linked to mutations in the α1 chain of type IV collagen (COL4A1), which we named HANAC

(Hereditary Angiopathy with Nephropathy, Aneurysms, and muscular Cramps). In collaboration with investigators from the Mayo Clinic, we further identified three antigens in pediatric (Semaphorin 3B) and adult membranous nephropathy (NELL-1 and PCDH-7), as well as two biomarkers, Exostosins 1 & 2, specific to lupus membranous nephropathy. Together with Arkana Lab (Little Rock) and Cliniques Saint-Luc in Brussels, we also identified cubilin and amnionless as new antigens in a rare autoimmune disease affecting the proximal tubule.

These advances were made possible by a combination of factors: the large recruitment of patients with rare kidney diseases at Tenon Hospital, strong national and international collaborations with pediatricians, and the proximity of a highly active research unit with a long tradition of translational research. My combined expertise in clinical care, immunology, and kidney pathology provides a unique perspective in the field and has resulted in over 500 research publications, including in New England Journal of Medicine (10), The Lancet (2), Science (2), Journal of Experimental Medicine (3), Journal of Cell Biology (3), and all major nephrology journals, as well as 30 textbook chapters (Hirsch Index 81, Web of Science; ).

Due to my expertise in translational nephrology and commitment to disseminating knowledge at the highest level, the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) invited me to chair or co-chair the Scientific Program Committee for four World Congresses of Nephrology (Madrid, Milan, Cape Town, Mexico). More recently, I was appointed Editor-in-Chief of Kidney International (KI) starting January 1, 2018. Under my leadership, the journal’s impact factor increased from 8.306 to 18.990 after COVID followed by a decrease to 12.6,.positioning KI as the leading nephrology journal for original research.

My research has been continuously supported by the French National Research Agency, the Foundation for Medical Research, the Foundation for Rare Diseases, as well as European funding, including the prestigious ERC Advanced Grant and collaborative projects (Eunefron, EURenOmics), which enabled the recruitment and mentorship of PhD students and postdoctoral fellows.