61Dr. Janet A. Chollet is Boston's board-certified obstetrician–gynecologist, biotech co-founder, and translational medicine leader. She is the Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Procyrn LLC, overseeing the development of sustained-release hydrogel immune therapeutics and reformulated antivirals. Her work is centered on maternal–fetal health, neuroinflammation, and HPV-related cervical disease, areas that continue to pose significant medical challenges.
Her career spans over thirty years, blending patient care, academic roles, and biotechnology. She has practiced at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the University of Pittsburgh, where she contributed as a clinician and educator. In addition to her clinical service, she has advanced several preclinical and early-stage clinical programs and holds three U.S. patents in women’s health drug delivery.
Dr. Janet Chollet's educational path began with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience from the University of California, Santa Barbara, earned in 1986. Her interest in how science can directly impact human health motivated her to pursue medicine. She received her Doctor of Medicine degree from New York Medical College in 1991. Soon after, she entered residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at LAC/USC Women’s Hospital, where she trained from 1991 through 1995. These early years solidified her dedication to improving therapies for women, children, and families.
After residency, Dr. Chollet joined Magee-Women’s Hospital, affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh, as a staff physician and instructor. From 2000 until 2007, she combined direct patient care with teaching responsibilities. This period deepened her commitment to translational medicine, using clinical insights to guide the development of new therapies. In 2007, she became part of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, where she continues to practice as an obstetrician–gynecologist. She also participates in academic training, merging her clinical practice with her translational research interests.
In 2005, Janet Chollet co-founded Pear Tree Pharmaceuticals, a company devoted to site-targeted therapies for women’s health. The company’s programs focused on breast cancer survivors and women with vulvovaginal atrophy. As Vice President of Clinical Affairs until 2018, she worked on vaginal delivery technologies designed to limit systemic exposure while treating localized conditions. Her contributions at Pear Tree led to three U.S. patents:
US 9,693,953 — Method of treating atrophic vaginitis
US 9,675,546 — Method of treating atrophic vaginitis with triphenylethylene derivatives
US 9,480,662 — Compositions and methods for topical tamoxifen citrate therapy
This intellectual property helped pave the way for Pear Tree’s merger with Dare Bioscience (NASDAQ: DARE), a company focused on women’s health therapies.
In 2023, Dr. Chollet co-founded Procyrn LLC. As Chief Medical Officer, she leads clinical development, regulatory planning, and translational strategy. Procyrn is advancing programs in three major therapeutic areas. The first, Maternal–Fetal Health (PC101), is designed to address preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome, dangerous pregnancy disorders that often require early delivery. PC101 is a sustained-release hydrogel biologic intended to stabilize maternal–fetal health and reduce the need for preterm birth. Preclinical validation has been completed, and the program is moving forward in collaboration with Northeastern University and Charles River Laboratories.
Her second program extends into Neuroinflammation and ALS. Although her training is in obstetrics and gynecology, her background in immune-modulating therapeutics allowed her to consider their role in neurodegenerative disease. In collaboration with Jackson Laboratory, she is developing a strategy aimed at C9orf72-associated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS's most common genetic form. The program targets inflammatory pathways to address disease mechanisms through preclinical validation.
The third program focuses on HPV-Driven Cervical Dysplasia. Current treatments rely heavily on excisional surgery, which can lead to recurrence and complications in future pregnancies. This program builds on mechanistic parallels between p53-deficient vulnerabilities in leukemia and the oncogenic activity of HPV E6/E7 proteins in cervical disease. Working with Charles River Laboratories, the team is advancing a localized antiviral delivery system designed for the cervicovaginal environment, with in vitro validation underway.
She also explores an early-stage concept: Autism Prevention Through Maternal–Fetal ImmuneMaternal–Fetal Immune Therapeutics. Research suggests maternal immune activation and placental inflammation may influence fetal brain development. Based on findings from preclinical studies, including Zika virus models, Dr. Chollet seeks to evaluate pregnancy-compatible therapeutics that could stabilize the intrauterine environment and protect neurodevelopment. Although still exploratory, this work reflects her broader interest in preventive strategies.
Beyond science, Janet Chollet, MD, has developed expertise in regulatory strategy and program execution. She emphasizes reproducibility in preclinical studies, early definition of go/no-go criteria, and alignment of milestones with funding cycles. Her approach is designed to ensure scientific rigor and investor confidence, moving ideas from discovery to patient care in a disciplined way.
Earlier in her career, she co-wrote the Emmy-winning ER episode “Love’s Labor Lost,” which received five Emmy Awards. Though Warner Bros. offered her a staff writing role, she chose to remain on the medical path. This experience underscored her dedication to medicine and her ability to communicate through storytelling.
Outside of her professional responsibilities, Dr. Janet Chollet values balance through family, exercise, and creative pursuits. She views strength training as an essential part of health, appreciates time with family and pets, and enjoys the focus that comes with golf. She also pursues travel, discovery, and creative writing. More recently, she has begun to explore the role of artificial intelligence in clinical workflows and translational medicine, considering how technology can speed the path from research to patient care.