Sanofi has nominated Bonnie Bassler as an independent member of its board of directors.
Bassler serves as a member of the US National Science Board, as appointed by president Barack Obama, which oversees the National Science Foundation.
Her appointment comes shortly after Sanofi’s board sacked CEO Christoper Viehbacher.
Commenting on her nomination, Bassler said: “It is a great honour for me to join Sanofi’s board of directors. Sanofi is one of the leading international pharmaceutical companies in the world and I look forward to working closely with members on the board and the company to support Sanofi’s mission to develop and introduce innovative therapies.”
Bassler has more than 20 years of experience in the sector and is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, professor in molecular biology and chair of the department of molecular biology at Princeton University, US.
She also serves on oversight, grant, fellowship and award panels for organisations including the National Academies of Sciences and US National Institutes of Health.
Serge Weinberg, chairman of the board and interim CEO at Sanofi, said: “Professor Bassler’s scientific expertise in molecular biology and her great leadership skills makes her an outstanding addition to our board.
“We look forward to her contribution to Sanofi’s strategy as we continue to innovate and introduce new medicines and vaccines that can help improve health outcomes.”