CV Science

Hervé Raoul PhD

Course and current status

PhD in biology of blood cells from Paris VII University obtained in 1995 and accreditation to supervise research at the Paris XI University in 2000.

From 1989 to 1997, laboratory of Experimental Neurology and Neurovirology at CEA (French Atomic Energy Commission) working on the consequences of HIV infection on macrophages functions. From 1997 to 1998, research scientist in the Biology of Retroviruses Unit at the Pasteur Institute in Paris. From 1998 to 2003, Laboratory of Radiotoxology at the CEA, working on the immunological consequences of uranium exposure. From 2003 to 2007 head of the Biological Issues of the French G8 Partnership Program at the CEA

Appointed as Director of the French BSL4 Inserm Jean Mérieux laboratory in Lyon in 2005.

Also involved in EU funded projects (e.g. ENP4lab) and coordinator, since 2008 of the ERINHA (European Research Infrastructure on Highly Pathogenic Agents) project in the frame of the European Strategic Forum for Research Infrastructure.

Scientific summary

The Jean Mérieux BSL4 laboratory which is under the authority of Inserm since 2004 is a positive air pressure suit laboratory. The BSL4 area consists in three independent but communicative subunits. Two subunits are dedicated to cell culture experimentation and one to animal experimentation. The animal facility is the largest animal biosafety Level 4 infrastructure in Europe and the only one that can work with non human primates (NHP).

Since 2004 the Jean Mérieux BSL4 laboratory is organised as a big infrastructure open to the whole national and international scientific community that needs to handle RG4 infectious pathogens. The management system that has been set up includes strategic and operational aspects. The strategic management is conducted by the Director of the BSL4 infrastructure, under the authority of the General Direction of Inserm. All strategic decisions take into account the opinion of the users’ community, the scientific council and national institute for infectious diseases. The operational management includes modalities of access to the infrastructure, training programs, rules for using the infrastructure, communication flow and quality assurance. The main services provided to users are secured and safe work conditions, training for work in BSL4 area, scientific and technical assistance and access to RG4 microorganism collection. Diagnosis activities are also conducted in close collaboration with concerned national reference centres. These services are provided by the operating team composed of 19 peoples all belonging to Inserm.

Despite the Jean Mérieux P4 laboratory is the largest BSL4 infrastructure in Europe, due to increasing number of scientific programs submission, evolution of standards and regulations, the existing capacity is no more sufficient.

In this view, the HIDDEN project selected for funding in the frame of the "grand emprunt" proposes the erection of an extension building housing additional BSL4 laboratories.