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 at the Necker school of medecine (Paris Descartes University); he obtained his PhD in biochemistry from the University of Paris VII in 1985.
In 1989, he became full professor of Cell Biology and Hepatology, at Paris Descartes University and 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. 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 developing programs to recruit eminent scientists, implementing an international multidisciplinary education and teaching program, fostering 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 currently a full Professor with tenure at the University of South Florida in Tampa and Executive Director of the Romark LLC Institute for Medical Research, also based in Tampa. Since October 2017, he has served as President of the Global Virus Network.
Dr. Bréchot’s research activities have been focussed on viral hepatitis: hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV), particularly with regard to their role in liver cancer (Hepatocellular carcinoma: HCC) and to the molecular mechanisms that drive liver regeneration and cancer (in particular, cell cycle deregulation and the impact of oxydative stress). He has been the member of numerous scientific committees and societies and has received prestigious awards. Dr. Bréchot is the author of over 350 articles published in medical and scientific journals. In addition, his research activities have led him to obtain 13 patents and to contribute to the creation of three biotech companies : Rarecells, ALFACT Innovation and The Healthy Aging Company.
