Member SpotlightsBiologist by Birth, Immunologist by Training Paul David Rennert, M.S. A Member Since March 2002  As a senior scientist at Biogen Idec, Paul Rennert is responsible for running his own laboratory, directing two discovery projects, managing the biological aspects of an Investigational New Drug (IND) development project, and evaluating future research projects and business opportunities. His interest in biology grew out of the summers he spent as a child on Cape Cod exploring the natural world. He attended Colby College in Waterville, Maine and earned Bachelor’s degrees in both philosophy and biology. At the University of Vermont-Burlington, he studied mammalian molecular evolutionary biology while pursuing a Master’s degree in zoology. His work resulted in the identification of two new species of Peromyscine rodents in Mexico. As it came time to graduate, there was a fundamental shift in U.S. research priorities and funding for such disciplines as zoology, ecology and evolution was drastically reduced. Mr. Rennert decided to enter into the then new field of biotechnology, which was generating a lot of excitement. He thus accepted a position as a research associate in the Department of Molecular Endocrinology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital. He analyzed Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) expression in mouse brain. His work resulted in the first description of its localized expression in cholinergic innervated regions of the hippocampus. After funding was cut to the lab, Mr. Rennert decided to explore industrial positions and was hired by Repligen, Inc where he became an associate scientist in the departments of molecular biology and molecular immunology. During his eight-year tenure, he retrained himself as an immunologist by working on two main projects: T-cell costimulation and retroviral biology. This work was conducted during the stimulating, early days of HIV research. Mr. Rennert and his team identified the RNA target of the HIV-1 REV, which led to the discovery of specific REV antagonists. The company underwent downsizing and Mr. Rennert was immediately hired as an immunologist at Biogen (now Biogen Idec). From 1996 to 2000 Mr. Rennert studied the complex pathways, which control lymph node genesis and the subsequent steps required to form organized lymphoid tissue. His team discovered that the lymphotoxin beta pathway controls lymphoid organ development, immune system organization and immune responses. He was then appointed project leader of a two-year project that was dedicated towards understanding cell signaling mediated by APRIL, a member of the TNF family and its mechanism of action in tumors cells. The project also focused on identifying the relevant receptor that mediates APRIL tumor biology and in constructing animal models to observe APRIL's normal physiological role, including the induction of proinflammatory chemokines in diseased tissue. Currently, Mr. Rennert is the program head of two projects. The first is to establish the importance of PKC-alpha and p62 in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases through analysis of knock-out mice and to develop a small molecule inhibitor these two proteins’ interactions. The second project is designed to explore a novel mechanism for influencing T-cell immune responses and consequently, the course of immunity-driven disease via blockade of KIM family proteins. He also serves as lead biologist on a project devoted to regulating the chemokine, MCP-1 in order to minimize the inflammation damage that occurs in many chronic diseases. His lab contributes considerable expertise in animal disease modeling and cellular immunulogical assays to this project. Mr. Rennert finds his research endeavors rewarding because they allow him the opportunity to pursue novel projects that can potentially have a major impact on sufferers of autoimmune diseases. When not in the lab, he continues to enjoy natural pursuits including fishing, gardening, bird watching, boating and mountain biking. ### << Previous Next >> [ View All Member Spotlights ] |
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