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Who We Are Christian Bréchot
Christian Bréchot
Senior Associate Dean for Research on Global Affairs and Associate Vice-President for International Partnerships and Innovation, University of South Florida
Impact on Human Health, emergence of viruses, diseases etc.
Abstract: Climate change is a major challenge for humanity and in particular for human health. It may affect our health through several, unfortunately synergistic, mechanisms: 1) direct effects of heat such as heat exhaustion, heat stroke, as well as mental illness etc. 2) effects on food and water security and safety through droughts, floods, storms etc.3) dissemination of vector-born infectious diseases, transmitted by mosquitoes and ticks, through increased temperatures, deforestation, human migrations etc. 4) alterations of soil and oceans microbiomes with in turn profound changes in plants, nutrition and hence human health, including viral pandemics.
Bio
Professor Christian Bréchot holds MD and PhD degrees. Beginning in 1981, he studied molecular biology, virology, and cellular biology at the laboratory of Pierre Tiollais at the Pasteur Institute and the Necker School of Medicine (Paris Descartes University); he obtained his PhD in biochemistry from the University of Paris VII in 1985.
His career has focused entirely on science, medicine, and public health, combining a high profile in basic and translational research in academic and industrial settings with teaching and high-level research administration in an international context.
In 1989, he became a full professor of Cell Biology and Hepatology at Paris Descartes University. In 1997, he was appointed head of the clinical department of liver diseases at the Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital. He was head of a research unit at the Necker Faculty of Medicine, jointly supported by Inserm, Paris Descartes University, and the Pasteur Institute; he was also head of the National Reference Centre on viral hepatitis from 1998 to 2001.
From 2001 to 2007, Christian Bréchot was General Director of Inserm, the French National Agency for Biomedical Research (“French NIH”). In 2008, he was appointed as Vice-President of Medical and Scientific Affairs of the Institut Merieux company, where he merged the efforts of four sectors, including in vitro diagnostics, preventive vaccines, therapeutic vaccines, as well as food safety (Biomérieux, Transgene, Merieux Nutrisciences, Advanced Bioscience Laboratory). From October 2013-September 2017, Dr. Bréchot served as President of the Institut Pasteur; he led several programs to recruit eminent scientists, implement an international multidisciplinary education and teaching, foster collaborative research and training strategies with major universities and research organizations, coalescing the international network of 33 Pasteur Institutes to encompass a global scientific vision and coordinated training activities, and positioning an ambitious and internationally oriented strategy for technology transfer and fundraising.
He is now, since 2018, a full Professor with tenure at the University of South Florida in Tampa (Senior Associate Dean for Research on Global Affairs and Associate Vice-President for International Partnerships and Innovation). In addition, from 2017 to 2023, he has been acting as President of the Global Virus Network, a network of 70 research centers worldwide, coordinated in Baltimore and Tampa; he is now serving as Vice-Chair of the board and Emeritus President. Finally, he has entrepreneurial activities, being an employee of Theravectys and founder and chairman of The Healthy Aging Company.
Dr. Bréchot’s research expertise combines molecular and cellular biology, virology, hepatology, and oncology. His activities have been initially focused on viral hepatitis: hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV), particularly regarding their role in liver cancer (Hepatocellular carcinoma: HCC) and on the molecular mechanisms that drive liver regeneration and cancer (in particular, cell cycle deregulation and the impact of oxydative stress). More recently, he has been investigating the role of a C-type lectin (Reg3A/HIP) in resistance to insulin, diabetic neuropathy, and Alzheimer’s disease. He has been a member of numerous scientific committees and societies and has received prestigious awards. Dr. Bréchot is the author of over 400 articles published in medical and scientific journals with a current H factor of over 100. In addition to his research, he has obtained 18 patents and contributed to creating three biotech companies: Rarecells, ALFACT Innovation, and The Healthy Aging Company (of which he is the chairman).
His career has focused entirely on science, medicine, and public health, combining a high profile in basic and translational research in academic and industrial settings with teaching and high-level research administration in an international context.
In 1989, he became a full professor of Cell Biology and Hepatology at Paris Descartes University. In 1997, he was appointed head of the clinical department of liver diseases at the Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital. He was head of a research unit at the Necker Faculty of Medicine, jointly supported by Inserm, Paris Descartes University, and the Pasteur Institute; he was also head of the National Reference Centre on viral hepatitis from 1998 to 2001.
From 2001 to 2007, Christian Bréchot was General Director of Inserm, the French National Agency for Biomedical Research (“French NIH”). In 2008, he was appointed as Vice-President of Medical and Scientific Affairs of the Institut Merieux company, where he merged the efforts of four sectors, including in vitro diagnostics, preventive vaccines, therapeutic vaccines, as well as food safety (Biomérieux, Transgene, Merieux Nutrisciences, Advanced Bioscience Laboratory). From October 2013-September 2017, Dr. Bréchot served as President of the Institut Pasteur; he led several programs to recruit eminent scientists, implement an international multidisciplinary education and teaching, foster collaborative research and training strategies with major universities and research organizations, coalescing the international network of 33 Pasteur Institutes to encompass a global scientific vision and coordinated training activities, and positioning an ambitious and internationally oriented strategy for technology transfer and fundraising.
He is now, since 2018, a full Professor with tenure at the University of South Florida in Tampa (Senior Associate Dean for Research on Global Affairs and Associate Vice-President for International Partnerships and Innovation). In addition, from 2017 to 2023, he has been acting as President of the Global Virus Network, a network of 70 research centers worldwide, coordinated in Baltimore and Tampa; he is now serving as Vice-Chair of the board and Emeritus President. Finally, he has entrepreneurial activities, being an employee of Theravectys and founder and chairman of The Healthy Aging Company.
Dr. Bréchot’s research expertise combines molecular and cellular biology, virology, hepatology, and oncology. His activities have been initially focused on viral hepatitis: hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV), particularly regarding their role in liver cancer (Hepatocellular carcinoma: HCC) and on the molecular mechanisms that drive liver regeneration and cancer (in particular, cell cycle deregulation and the impact of oxydative stress). More recently, he has been investigating the role of a C-type lectin (Reg3A/HIP) in resistance to insulin, diabetic neuropathy, and Alzheimer’s disease. He has been a member of numerous scientific committees and societies and has received prestigious awards. Dr. Bréchot is the author of over 400 articles published in medical and scientific journals with a current H factor of over 100. In addition to his research, he has obtained 18 patents and contributed to creating three biotech companies: Rarecells, ALFACT Innovation, and The Healthy Aging Company (of which he is the chairman).