Pr. Axel KAHN

President of Paris Descartes University (France)

Head of Cochin Institute

Head of Federative Research Institute Alfred Jost

Gene therapy

Axel Kahn, born in 1944, is a french scientist and geneticist. He was a member of the French National Consultative Ethics Committee from 1992 to 2004 and works in gene therapy. He first entered the INSERM with a specialization in biochemistry. He was named in 2002 as a counsellor for biosciences and biotechnologies matters by the European Commission. Head of French laboratories specialized in biomedical sciences between years 1984 and 2007, he has been elected as the President of the University Paris Descartes in December 2007. Since 2002, he is also head of the Cochin Insitute and of the Federative Research Institute Alfred Jost.

He is involved in many activities in science evaluation: President of the INSERM Commission in charge of Molecular Biology and Genetics (1983-1986); President of the French Commission of Biomolecular Engineering, in charge of evaluating all programs of field tests of genetically modified plants, microorganism release ; transgenic animals outside the laboratories ; use of vaccine ; drugs and foods obtained by genetic engineering and intended for veterinary usage ; gene therapy (1988-1997); Member of the French Genetic Engineering Committee (1990-1996), member of the Committee for strategic orientation in Research, appointed by the Prime Minister of France (1992-1995), vice-president of the scientific council of the National Ligue against Cancer (1991-1994), member of the National Advisory Ethics Committee (since 1992), member of the Research Committee of Ecole Polytechnique (1997-2003)…

He is the author and coauthor of more than 600 publications in peer-reviewed international journals, such as Nature, Nature Genet.,Nature Med., Cell, J. Biol. Chem., Embo J., J. Cell. Biol., Oncogene, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, J. Mol. Biol., Nucleic Acids Res., Mol. Cell. Biol., Genomics, J. Clin. Invest., Eur. J. Biochem. He is the laureate of multiple disctinctions and awards, such as the "Concours Général" (1961), Prize of the French Academy of Sciences (1989), Chevalier of the National Order of Merit (1990), Chevalier of the Legion of Honour (1995), Officer of the Legion of Honour (2004)…