About

Associate Professor of the department of virology at Paris Necker Hospital (Team: Retrovirus, Infection and Latency). Her research interest lies in deciphering the mechanisms underlying the control of HIV infection without treatment and the biomarkers predictive of a durable HIV remission as well as evaluating new strategies for HIV/SIV cure (pathophysiological studies, preclinical and clinical trials). She specializes in HIV and SIV reservoir characterization at the molecular, cellular (CD4+) and tissue levels (e.g. rectum, kidney grafts, and adipose tissue).

Position
Researcher - Medical virologist
Institution
Institut Cochin - CNRS 8104 / INSERM U1016 / Université Paris Cité
Website
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Veronique-Avettand-Fenoel/2

Linked Projects

Funded Research Project

Title: Viral dynamics of rebound and control following early treatment of HIV/SIV (NIH)

The results of the ANRS EP47 VISCONTI (Viro-Immunological Sustained COntrol after Treatment Interruption) study provided proof of concept that a state of sustainable HIV remission may be induced in at least some people with HIV: the post-treatment controllers (PTC). Unlike natural controllers, PTCs presented a symptomatic primary HIV-1 infection with high viral load and low… Continue reading Viral dynamics of rebound and control following early treatment of HIV/SIV (NIH)

Country
France
Starting year
2017
Duration
5 years
Budget
1.1M$
Members/PIs involved

Asier Sáez-Cirión

Researcher - Institut Pasteur

Christine Rouzioux

Researcher - Paris-Descartes University

Véronique Avettand-Fènoël

Researcher - Medical virologist - Institut Cochin - CNRS 8104 / INSERM U1016 / Université Paris Cité

Hugo Mouquet

Researcher - Institut Pasteur

Jérémie Guedj

Researcher - French Institute of Health & Medical Research (Inserm)

Michaela Müller-Trutwin

Researcher - Institut Pasteur

Laurence Meyer

Researcher - Université Paris-Saclay & APHP

Laurent Hocqueloux

Clinician - Centre Hospitalier Régional D'Orléans
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Funded Research Project

Title: A Non-Human Primate Model For HIV Remission (pVISCONTI)

The VISCONTI study proposed that post-treatment control (PTC) of HIV infection might be favored by early antiretroviral treatment (ART) initiation. However, a formal demonstration has not been established and the underlying mechanisms leading to PTC remain elusive. The pVISCONTI program aims to assess, in standardized conditions, the impact of early versus late ART initiation on… Continue reading A Non-Human Primate Model For HIV Remission (pVISCONTI)

Country
France
Starting year
2016
Duration
7 years
Budget
5.2M€
Members/PIs involved

Asier Sáez-Cirión

Researcher - Institut Pasteur

Roger Le Grand

Researcher - CEA (IDMIT)

Véronique Avettand-Fènoël

Researcher - Medical virologist - Institut Cochin - CNRS 8104 / INSERM U1016 / Université Paris Cité

Christine Rouzioux

Researcher - Paris-Descartes University

Michaela Müller-Trutwin

Researcher - Institut Pasteur

Jérémie Guedj

Researcher - French Institute of Health & Medical Research (Inserm)

Olivier Lambotte

Clinician - Kremlin-Bicêtre Hospital

Hugo Mouquet

Researcher - Institut Pasteur

Narendra Dixit

Professor - Indian Institute of Science
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Funded Research Project

Title: Heterogeneity of mechanisms responsible for HIV-1 gene silencing, WP1

Despite current effective and life-prolonging combination antiretroviral therapy (ART), HIV 1 can still not be cured and remission is not attainable for most persons. Indeed, the virus persists in people receiving ART and can produce active infection upon treatment interruption due notably to reactivation of viral expression from latently-infected cells, called HIV reservoirs. HIV-1 transcriptional… Continue reading Heterogeneity of mechanisms responsible for HIV-1 gene silencing, WP1

Country
France
Starting year
2022
Duration
3 years
Budget
1.1M€
Members/PIs involved

Carine Van Lint

Researcher - University of Brussels

Véronique Avettand-Fènoël

Researcher - Medical virologist - Institut Cochin - CNRS 8104 / INSERM U1016 / Université Paris Cité

Olivier Lambotte

Clinician - Kremlin-Bicêtre Hospital

Asier Sáez-Cirión

Researcher - Institut Pasteur

Olivier Rohr

Researcher - University of Strasbourg

Stephane de Wit

Clinician - Saint-Pierre Hospital Bruxelles
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Clinical Trial

Title: ANRS 175 RHIVIERA 01_Assessment of HIV remission upon ART interruption in early treated individuals from ANRS CO6 PRIMO cohort carrying the MHC genotype B35(53)Bw4TTC2

Early ART initiation seems to favor post-treatment control of infection. However, only a minority of the individuals who are treated early is able to control viremia once the treatment is interrupted. Through retrospective analyses of data available in the ANRS CO6 PRIMO cohort and the Post-treatment controllers in the ANRS VISCONTI study, we have identified… Continue reading ANRS 175 RHIVIERA 01_Assessment of HIV remission upon ART interruption in early treated individuals from ANRS CO6 PRIMO cohort carrying the MHC genotype B35(53)Bw4TTC2

Country
France
Starting year
2022
Duration
2 years
Members/PIs involved

Cécile Goujard

Clinician - Université Paris Sud, Bicêtre Hospital

Asier Sáez-Cirión

Researcher - Institut Pasteur

Laurence Meyer

Researcher - Université Paris-Saclay & APHP

Christel Protière

Researcher - INSERM (SESSTIM)

Hugo Mouquet

Researcher - Institut Pasteur

Véronique Avettand-Fènoël

Researcher - Medical virologist - Institut Cochin - CNRS 8104 / INSERM U1016 / Université Paris Cité

Hughes Fischer

Programme Coordinator - Act Up-Paris

Aurélie Tran-Barrail

Clinician - IDMIT
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Clinical Trial

Title: ANRS 176 RHIVIERA 02_Assessment of HIV remission upon ART interruption in individuals initiating ART in combination with two long lasting bNabs during primary infection

ART initiation during primary HIV infection limits the establishment, diversity and distribution of the viral reservoir while preserving key lymphoid organs of the deleterious effects of persistent viral replication and chronic immune activation, favoring the optimal maturation of immune responses. Early ART initiation may even facilitate long-term post-treatment control in some individuals. Therapeutic interventions during… Continue reading ANRS 176 RHIVIERA 02_Assessment of HIV remission upon ART interruption in individuals initiating ART in combination with two long lasting bNabs during primary infection

Country
France, USA
Starting year
2022
Duration
Members/PIs involved

Cécile Goujard

Clinician - Université Paris Sud, Bicêtre Hospital

Asier Sáez-Cirión

Researcher - Institut Pasteur

Laurence Meyer

Researcher - Université Paris-Saclay & APHP

Hugo Mouquet

Researcher - Institut Pasteur

Marina Caskey

Researcher - The Rockefeller University

Jean-Michel Molina

Clinician - Université de Paris INSERM

Michel Nussenzweig

Researcher - The Rockefeller University

Christel Protière

Researcher - INSERM (SESSTIM)

Véronique Avettand-Fènoël

Researcher - Medical virologist - Institut Cochin - CNRS 8104 / INSERM U1016 / Université Paris Cité

Hughes Fischer

Programme Coordinator - Act Up-Paris

Aurélie Tran-Barrail

Clinician - IDMIT
Read more

Linked Publications

Anti-V1/V3-glycan broadly HIV-1 neutralizing antibodies in a post-treatment controller

Molinos-Albert LM, Baquero E, Bouvin-Pley M, Lorin V, Charre C, Planchais C, Dimitrov JD, Monceaux V, Vos M, Hocqueloux L, Berger J-L, Seaman MS, Braibant M, Avettand-Fenoël V, Sáez-Cirión A, Mouquet H

Cell Host Microbe. 2023 Aug 9;31(8):1275-1287.e8
In-Depth Characterization of Full-Length Archived Viral Genomes after Nine Years of Posttreatment HIV Control

Trémeaux P, Lemoine F, Mélard A, Gousset M, Boufassa F, Orr S, Monceaux V, Gascuel O, Lambotte O, Hocqueloux L, Saez-Cirion A, Rouzioux C, Avettand-Fenoel V.

Microbiol Spectr. 2023 Jan 24:e0326722.
Ultrasensitive Detection of p24 in Plasma Samples from People with Primary and Chronic HIV-1 Infection

Passaes C, Delagreverie HM, Avettand-Fenoel V, David A, Monceaux V, Essat A, Müller-Trutwin M, Duffy D, De Castro N, Wittkop L, Rouzioux C, Molina JM, Meyer L, Delaugerre C, Sáez-Cirión A. J Virol. 2021 Jun 24;95(14):e0001621. doi: 10.1128/JVI.00016-21. PMID: 33952636 
Optimal Maturation of the SIV-Specific CD8 + T Cell Response after Primary Infection Is Associated with Natural Control of SIV: ANRS SIC Study

Passaes C, Millet A, Madelain V, Monceaux V, David A, Versmisse P, Sylla N, Gostick E, Llewellyn-Lacey S, Price DA, Blancher A, Dereuddre-Bosquet N, Desjardins D, Pancino G, Le Grand R, Lambotte O, Müller-Trutwin M, Rouzioux C, Guedj J, Avettand-Fenoel V, Vaslin B, Sáez-Cirión A. Cell Rep. 2020 Sep 22;32(12):108174. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108174. PMID: 32966788.
Modeling SIV kinetics supports that cytotoxic response drives natural control and unravels heterogeneous populations of infected cells

V. Madelain, C. Passaes, A. Millet, V. Avettand-Fenoel, R. Djidjou-Demasse, N. Dereuddre-Bosquet, R. Le Grand, C. Rouzioux, B. Vaslin, A. Saez-Cirion, J. Guedj. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.01.19.911594
Cellular Metabolism Is a Major Determinant of HIV-1 Reservoir Seeding in CD4 + T Cells and Offers an Opportunity to Tackle Infection

Valle-Casuso JC, Angin M, Volant S, Passaes C, Monceaux V, Mikhailova A, Bourdic K, Avettand-Fenoel V, Boufassa F, Sitbon M, Lambotte O, Thoulouze MI, Müller-Trutwin M, Chomont N, Sáez-Cirión A. Cell Metab. 2019 Mar 5;29(3):611-626.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2018.11.015. Epub 2018 Dec 20. PMID: 30581119.
HIV DNA: a clinical marker of HIV reservoirs

Rouzioux C, Trémeaux P, Avettand-Fenoël V. Curr Opin HIV AIDS 2018 Sep;13(5):389-394. doi: 10.1097/COH.0000000000000483. PMID: 30020275.
Total HIV-1 DNA, a Marker of Viral Reservoir Dynamics with Clinical Implications

Avettand-Fènoël V, Hocqueloux L, Ghosn J, Cheret A, Frange P, Melard A, Viard JP, Rouzioux C. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2016 Oct;29(4):859-80. doi: 10.1128/CMR.00015-16. PMID: 27559075; PMCID: PMC5010749.
HIV-1 virological remission lasting more than 12 years after interruption of early antiretroviral therapy in a perinatally infected teenager enrolled in the French ANRS EPF-CO10 paediatric cohort: a case report

Frange P, Faye A, Avettand-Fenoël V, Bellaton E, Descamps D, Angin M, David A, Caillat-Zucman S, Peytavin G, Dollfus C, Le Chenadec J, Warszawski J, Rouzioux C, Sáez-Cirión A; ANRS EPF-CO10 Pediatric Cohort and the ANRS EP47 VISCONTI study group. Lancet HIV. 2016 Jan;3(1):e49-54. doi: 10.1016/S2352-3018(15)00232-5. Epub 2015 Dec 9. PMID: 26762993.
Intensive five-drug antiretroviral therapy regimen versus standard triple-drug therapy during primary HIV-1 infection (OPTIPRIM-ANRS 147): a randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial

Chéret A, Nembot G, Mélard A, Lascoux C, Slama L, Miailhes P, Yeni P, Abel S, Avettand-Fenoel V, Venet A, Chaix ML, Molina JM, Katlama C, Goujard C, Tamalet C, Raffi F, Lafeuillade A, Reynes J, Ravaux I, Hoën B, Delfraissy JF, Meyer L, Rouzioux C; OPTIPRIM ANRS Study Group. Lancet Infect Dis. 2015 Apr;15(4):387-96. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(15)70021-6. Epub 2015 Feb 18. PMID: 25701561.
Post-treatment HIV-1 controllers with a long-term virological remission after the interruption of early initiated antiretroviral therapy ANRS VISCONTI Study

Sáez-Cirión A, Bacchus C, Hocqueloux L, Avettand-Fenoel V, Girault I, Lecuroux C, Potard V, Versmisse P, Melard A, Prazuck T, Descours B, Guergnon J, Viard JP, Boufassa F, Lambotte O, Goujard C, Meyer L, Costagliola D, Venet A, Pancino G, Autran B, Rouzioux C; ANRS VISCONTI Study Group. PLoS Pathog. 2013 Mar;9(3):e1003211. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1003211. Epub 2013 Mar 14. PMID: 23516360; PMCID: PMC3597518.
Novel role of UHRF1 in the epigenetic repression of the latent HIV-1

Verdikt V, Bendoumou M, Bouchat S, Nestola L, Pasternak AO, Darcis G, Avettand-Fenoeld V, Vanhulle C, Aït-Ammar A, Santangelo M. Plant E, LeDouce V, Delacourt N, Cicilionytė A, Necsoi C, Corazza F, Passaes CPB, Schwartz C, Bizet M, Fuks F, Sáez-Cirión A, Rouzioux C, De Wit S, Berkhout B, Gautier V, Rohr O, Van Lint C

eBioMedicine 2022, Volume 79, 1039852022
Long-term antiretroviral therapy initiated during primary HIV-1 infection is key to achieving both low HIV reservoirs and normal T cell counts

Hocqueloux L, Avettand-Fènoël V, Jacquot S, Prazuck T, Legac E, Mélard A, Niang M, Mille C, Le Moal G, Viard JP, Rouzioux C; AC32 (Coordinated Action on HIV Reservoirs) of the Agence Nationale de Recherches sur le Sida et les Hépatites Virales (ANRS). J Antimicrob Chemother. 2013 May;68(5):1169-78. doi: 10.1093/jac/dks533. Epub 2013 Jan 20. PMID: 23335199.
Dynamics in HIV DNA levels over time in HIV Controllers.

Avettand-Fenoel V, Bayan T, Gardiennet E, Boufassa F, Lopez P, Lecuroux C, Noel N, Trémeaux P, Monceaux V, Autran B, Meyer L, Saez-Cirion A, Lambotte O, Rouzioux C; CODEX ANRS Cohort Study Group. J Int AIDS Soc. 2019 Jan;22(1):e25221. doi: 10.1002/jia2.25221. PMID: 30629340; PMCID: PMC6327944.
Increasing contribution of integrated forms to total HIV DNA in blood during HIV disease progression from primary infection.

Trémeaux P, Lenfant T, Boufassa F, Essat A, Mélard A, Gousset M, Delelis O, Viard JP, Bary M, Goujard C, Rouzioux C, Meyer L, Avettand-Fenoel V; ANRS-SEROCO and PRIMO cohorts. EBioMedicine. 2019 Mar;41:455-464. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.02.016. Epub 2019 Feb 23. PMID: 30803934; PMCID: PMC6442355.
Initiating antiretroviral treatment early in infancy has long-term benefits on the HIV reservoir in late childhood and adolescence.

Avettand-Fenoel V, Lechenadec J, Diallo MS, Fillion M, Melard A, Samri A, Dollfus C, Blanche S, Faye A, Amokrane K, Autran B, Buseyne F, Warszawski J, Frange P; ANRS-EP59-CLEAC Study Group. Clin Infect Dis. 2021 Dec 6;73(11):e4214-e4222. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciaa1931. PMID: 34355738.
Prolonged Antiretroviral Treatment Induces Adipose Tissue Remodelling Associated with Mild Inflammation in SIV-Infected Macaques.

Mausoléo A, Olivo A, Desjardins D, Sáez-Cirión A, Barrail-Tran A, Avettand-Fenoel V, Noël N, Lagathu C, Béréziat V, Le Grand R, Lambotte O, Bourgeois C.

Cells. 2022 Oct 2;11(19):3104. 
Early antiretroviral therapy favors post-treatment SIV control associated with the expansion of enhanced memory CD8+ T-cells

Passaes C, Desjardins D, Chapel A, Monceaux V, Lemaitre J, Mélard A, Perdomo-Celis F, Planchais C, Gourvès M, Dimant N, David A, Dereuddre-Bosquet N, Barrail-Tran A, Gouget H, Guillaume C, Relouzat F, Lambotte O, Guedj J, Müller-Trutwin M, Mouquet H, Rouzioux C, Avettand-Fenoël V, Le Grand R, Sáez-Cirión A.

Nature Communications. 2024, 15(1), Article number: 178