Team - Metafora

Our company

At METAFORA, we combine the best of life sciences and advanced analytics, in compliance with the strict Healthcare regulations. Our goal of providing our tests to the largest number of patients, requires flawless execution.

Our team

A multidisciplinary team, with a perfect blend of entrepreneurs, cell biologists and expert mathematicians.

Founders

Vincent PETIT, DMV, PhD

Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Vincent is a co-founder and CEO of METAFORA, with a strong background in scientific research and business development, he played a crucial role in incubating the company from its inception. Vincent's expertise spans across basic science, translational research, and the seamless integration of scientific discoveries into industrial solutions.

Vincent holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from the prestigious National Veterinary School of Alfort in France. He further advanced his academic pursuits by obtaining a PhD in cell biology and microbiology from the esteemed Pasteur Institute and the Paris University (Université Denis Diderot – Paris VII, France).

Prior to his current position, Vincent dedicated his efforts to studying anti-viral host factors, contributing significantly to the field. He then served as a translational research officer at CNRS in Montpellier, France. Throughout his career, Vincent has showcased his scientific acumen by authoring eight original scientific publications and co-inventing five patents.

Passionate about leveraging scientific discoveries and innovations to benefit patients and advance the field of medicine, Vincent is committed to steering METAFORA towards delivering cutting-edge solutions that address unmet medical needs. His vision is to lead the company in translating scientific breakthroughs into tangible, impactful solutions for the healthcare industry.

Luc D’AURIOL, PhD

Co-Founder & Chairman of the Strategic Committee

Luc is a co-founder of METAFORA and leads its Strategic Advisory Board. Throughout his career, he has been dedicated to bridging the gap between science and market applications. Luc's entrepreneurial journey includes co-founding two biotech companies that successfully went public: Genset, which was listed on Nasdaq and Euronext before its acquisition by Serono in 2001, and METabolic EXplorer, listed on Euronext. Additionally, he played a key role in establishing Genopole® Evry, the prominent French biotechnology park.

Luc's expertise has been recognized at a broader level, as he served as an expert reviewer for FP6 calls of the European Commission and as a member of the Jury for the Altran Foundation for Innovation Award.

He holds a PhD in General Human Biology with a specialization in Cellular & Molecular Biology from Saint-Louis Hospital (Paris University – Paris Denis Diderot), with a focus on molecular virology. Luc's contributions to the scientific community are evident through his authorship of 60 scientific publications and 4 patents.

As head of the Strategic Advisory Board at METAFORA, Luc brings invaluable insights and guidance, leveraging his extensive experience in the biotech industry and his ability to navigate the intersection of science, innovation, and market success.

Marc SITBON, PhD

Co-Founder & Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board

Marc, co-founder of Metafora, leads the Scientific Advisory Board, bringing his expertise as a renowned expert in retrovirus envelopes, cell receptors, nutrient transporters, and cell metabolism. He held the position of Research Director at INSERM and led a distinguished research group at the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Montpellier (IGMM; CNRS & University of Montpellier – France) for over two decades.

Marc's contributions extend beyond his primary affiliations, as he collaborated with esteemed research institutes in Paris, San Diego, and Bethesda. His expertise and knowledge have been sought after by scientific councils in French public-sector organizations such as CNRS and ANRS, as well as non-governmental organizations like the Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale. Marc has also provided consultation services to several pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, while serving as a reviewer for major international institutes and grant-funding organizations.

Marc holds a PhD in Virology, Oncology, and Immunology from Paris University (Université Denis Diderot – Paris VII, France). His remarkable achievements include over 90 scientific publications and inventorship of several patents. His research group made notable discoveries in virology, hemato-oncology, and cellular metabolism, including identifying GLUT1 as the receptor for the Human T-cell Leukemia Virus (HTLV), discovering the first human phosphate exporter associated with brain calcification, and revealing nutrient transporters as retroviral receptors.

With his exceptional expertise and groundbreaking research, Marc plays a pivotal role in guiding METAFORA’s scientific direction, driving innovation, and advancing the company's mission in the medical technology field.

Management Team

Romain KASPEREIT, MBA

General Manager & Chief Financial Officer

Romain serves as Metafora's General Manager and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), overseeing the company's financial operations and playing a crucial role in its day-to-day management. As a key member of the leadership team, he actively contributes to defining METAFORA’s development strategy.

With a decade of experience in corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions (M&A), Romain brings a wealth of expertise to his role. Prior to joining Metafora, he served as the CFO of Laser, an international Contract Research Organization (CRO) based in London. Romain also gained valuable experience in the M&A practice of Grant Thornton in Paris.

Romain's educational background includes an MBA from Oxford University, an MSc from Bordeaux Management School, and a Master's degree in Biochemistry from Paris University.

With his extensive financial acumen and strategic insights, Romain plays a vital role in driving METAFORA’s growth and success in the medical technology industry.

Kamila CZECHOWSKA, PhD

Chief Diagnostic Product Development Officer

Kamila is a valuable team member at METAFORA, driving our diagnostic product developments. As a liaison between our business and development teams, Kamila ensures that our products accurately address customer demands. She guides and manages the solution development process, ensuring a clear understanding of the vision behind each development.

Kamila holds a PhD from the University de Lausanne, Switzerland, in microbial cytometry, and an M.Sc. in Applied Biotechnology from the University of Krakow, Poland. During her postdoctoral tenure at the Yale School of Medicine, under the mentorship of Dr. Barbara Kazmierczak, Kamila made a significant discovery regarding the dynamics of P. aeruginosa colonization in CF lungs, uncovering a "social cheating" phenomenon.

With experience in clinical trial design, execution, and audit for top pharmaceutical companies, as well as medical device development for startups, Kamila brings a wealth of expertise to our team. She is an expert in flow cytometry and actively contributes to cytometric societies. Kamila's research publications encompass microbial stress responses and host-pathogen interactions, and she has been involved in standardization efforts for multi-site clinical studies. Additionally, she has served as an Associate Editor for special issues of Cytometry Part A, reporting on CYTO conferences.

Kamila's knowledge and experience in various aspects of product development and her commitment to advancing the field make her an invaluable asset in driving our diagnostic innovations at METAFORA.

Sandra MORICEAU

Chief of Quality and Regulatory Affairs

Sandra serves as METAFORA’s Chief of Quality and Regulatory Affairs, overseeing the compliance of product development, production, and commercialization. She plays a vital role in implementing, improving, and maintaining the company's Quality Management System (QMS). Sandra's expertise was instrumental in obtaining the CE marking for our first IVD test and shaping the QMS to achieve ISO 13485:2016 certification.

With an Engineering degree specializing in Biomedical Research and Immunology from EPHE-Paris Sciences Lettres, Sandra combines her knowledge in biology with her proficiency in quality management. She also holds a Diploma in Quality Health and Safety Environment (IFOCOP). Her dual professional experience in academia and the private sector enables her to excel in ensuring the highest standards of quality and regulatory compliance.

Under Sandra's leadership, METAFORA maintains its commitment to delivering products that meet stringent quality and regulatory requirements, providing confidence and reliability to our customers and partners.

Christian PINSET, PhD

Scientific Director

Christian has been a valuable advisor to METAFORA since its inception and currently serves as the Scientific Director. With a strong entrepreneurial background, he found two successful companies in 2000s; Celogos, specializing in cell therapy and later acquired by HRA Pharma and Nestis, focused on medical device and acquired by Boston Scientific.

Cristian is a Medical Doctor, having graduated from the University Paris Saclay and holds the esteemed position of CNRS Emeritus Research Director. He began his career at the Institute Gustave Roussy, before joining the Pasteur Institute, where he worked in laboratory of Pr Francois Gros. His journey also led him to I-Stem, an institute dedicated to therapeutic innovation. Christian’s contribution to the field is evident in his 60 original publications and 6 patents as an inventor.

As METAFORA’s Scientific director, Christian brings extensive expertise and a wealth of experience to the company. His invaluable guidance ensures the integration of the scientific advancements into our innovative solutions, driving our mission to address the unmet medical needs.

Baptiste LABARTHE, PhD

Director Data Science Team

Baptiste leads the data science team at METAFORA, playing a pivotal role in developing data analytics solutions that facilitate interdisciplinary communication between biologists and clinical scientists. Through the tools created by his team, METAFORA delivers innovative and precise medical diagnoses.

With a PhD in computer science and geostatistics from Mines Paristech, Baptiste boasts an impressive track record of accomplishments. He developed a surface water/groundwater flow modeling software that is still utilized routinely at Mines Paristech lab. Additionally, he applied geostatistics and AI techniques to optimize large-scale models consisting of millions of computational cells.

Having gained over three years of experience as a data scientist in Alstom's Prognostics and Health Management department, Baptiste excelled in developing a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution for predictive maintenance. He successfully managed projects for Research and Development programs, collaborating with international research laboratories such as Inria, CALCE, and Ryenrson.

Baptiste's expertise and leadership in data science empower METAFORA to leverage cutting-edge technologies, enabling the delivery of advanced and accurate medical diagnoses.

METAflow Team

Jack PANOPOULOS, PhD

Director of Sales, METAflow

Jack received his Ph. D. in molecular microbiology and immunology from the University of Southern California in 2006 and continued his post-doctoral research at the Sanford-Burnham Institute in San Diego, California. Flow cytometry was a key component of his research centered on mitotic proteins, their functions in mitotic catastrophe, checkpoint override, and implications for cancer neogenesis.

Jack has a passion for effective teaching and creating useful research tools, utilizing and disseminating crucial analytical intel to the science community at large; so that they can override their checkpoints, avoid analysis catastrophe, and deliver humanity from cancer.

On occasion you can find him at La Jolla shores riding some waves with the San Diego Cytometry Society.

Christoph Freier, PharmD, PhD

Senior European Application Scientist, METAflow

With a unique blend of pharmaceutical expertise, a Ph.D., and a decade of experience in coding and software development for Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence across the US and Europe, I bring a versatile skill set to the table. My journey began with groundbreaking research in Tumor-Immunology, leading to the development of the first single-cell sequencing software solution, which I successfully managed across various markets in Europe. Transitioning into a managerial role at Deloitte further honed my strategic thinking and leadership abilities.

A strong advocate for quantitative thinking and data-driven decision-making, I am fueled by a passion for global exploration, effective communication of complex results, and fostering meaningful connections. My commitment to driving forward-thinking solutions is best reflected in my active engagement with a diverse, multinational team, where I thrive on fostering a collaborative environment that encourages knowledge sharing and continuous learning. Currently leading AI-innovation initiatives and spearheading transformative projects to redefine healthcare.

METAglut1™ & Business Development Projects Team

Manon MARTIN, MSc, MBA

Director Business Development Strategy

Manon is METAFORA’s Director of Business Development Strategy, overseeing the go-to-market strategies and marketing plans. She plays a vital role in leading strategic marketing and communication contents, ensuring our products’ go-to-market roadmaps, and keeping track of financial and performance KPIs.

With both a scientific background, including 3 different MSc in Biology-Biochemistry University of Paris, Genetics from the Magistère Européen de Génétique (MEG), and Medical Biotechnologies from the University of Milano-Bicocca, and a business background with a Specialized Master in Biopharmaceutical Management from the ESCP Business School, Manon combines her knowledge to ensure METAFORA’s core technologies will develop into actionable projects and products on the market.

With her international experience, especially in the United States, where she is still based, as a Trade Commissioner in Healthcare working for the French governmental trade agency, she will especially lead and ensure the international development of METAFORA’s projects.

Manon NIZOU

Clinical Project Manager

Manon serves as METAFORA’s Clinical Studies Manager. She oversees all clinical studies at METAFORA, from protocol writing to final reports, data management and regulatory approvals. Manon was a major asset for the clinical study of our METAglut1 diagnostic product under the Forfait Innovation program, which she conducted in its entirety, and which ultimately led to the validation of the METAglut1 test's performance and its reimbursement in France. Today, Manon remains in contact with doctors to guarantee continuity in real life.

Holder of a Biotechnology professional license (Université Paris-Saclay) and a Clinical Research Associate diploma (CLINACT), Manon combines her knowledge to ensure that the performance of METAFORA products is assessed in compliance with regulations relating to patient health and safety. Her dual professional experience enables her to excel in ensuring the highest standards of compliance.

Thanks to Manon, METAFORA is committed to providing products that meet the most stringent safety requirements, offering confidence and reliability to our customers, collaborators and, above all, our patients.