France Biotech elects new chair to succeed Pouletty

Philippe Pouletty, the outgoing chairman.

Choulika is CEO of Cellectis, the genome engineering company he founded in 2000. The idea behind Cellectis germinated while André Choulika was doing research in mammalian genetics at the Pasteur Institute. Cellectis floated on Alternext at NYSE Euronext in February 2007, and now has 2 subsidiaries and 70 employees.

Choulika is one of the pioneers in the analysis of meganucleases and their applications in the modification of complex genomes. He obtained his doctorate in molecular virology at Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris before doing post-doctoral research at Harvard Medical School.

While working as a research fellow in the Department of Molecular Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital, he developed the background for therapeutic applications of meganucleases.

Congratulating his successor on his election, Pouletty said, “My seven years as Chairman of France Biotech were very rewarding and enabled the organisation to push through several important measures in favour of innovation. Today, thanks to its entrepreneurs, our industry is known for its dynamism, its innovation capacity and its ability to create value, jobs and economic growth – but a lot remains to be done. We are delighted to welcome André Choulika as the incoming Chairman".

Choulika responded that France Biotech has successfully raised awareness of biotechnology and its specific needs. “I want to pursue that work.”

“Anchoring biotech in France’s economic heritage is also a key objective, together with reinforcing the links between our members and growing our community – because our association essentially draws its strength from the members.”