Biography

Jean-Claude Perriard directed the research group "Biogenesis of Cytoarchitecture" at the Institute of Cell Biology of the ETH Zurich. This group focused on the structure-function analysis (confocal microscopy) of contractile protein during the myofibrillogenesis in developing heart cells. He retired end of July 2006.

Prof. Perriard was born on May 7, 1941 and is citizen of St. Aubin (FR). He studied zoology at the University of Zurich where he received a degree in developmental biology. He completed his dissertation with summa cum laude under Professor R. Weber (Berne) on biochemstry of amphibian metamorphosis. He spent almost 3 years as postdoctoral fellow at the University of California in San Francisco, working on the biochemistry of RNA polymerases (Prof. W. J. Rutter). In 1974 he was assistant to Professor H. M. Eppenberger and in 1976 senior assistant with his own research group. He was appointed member of the scientific staff and in 1983 received the "venia legendi" in the Faculty of Biology (XA). In 1984 he was visiting professor at Harvard Medical School (molecular cloning of myosin) and in 1986 he was awarded the title of Professor at the ETH for his achievements as scientist and teacher. He was a visiting scholar at the University of California at San Diego (heart molecular biology) in 1993.

Prof. Perriard has given numerous lectures and has established new methods and introuduced new programs (immunology). Many students have earned their degrees and doctorates under him and he has been able to draw research funds to the institute from various sources. From 1979 to 1983 he was member of the Assembly of Professors; in 1987 and again in 1992 he was head of the Institute of Cell Biology. From 1988 on, he was student advisor in the Department of Biology for the study of programme Ac. (Experimental Biology).