In 1989, he joined the
in vivo NMR spectroscopy laboratory of the Service hospitalier
Frédéric-Joliot (SHFJ) within the CEA biology department. He participated in the development of the very first in vivo
nuclear medicine elements. He worked there until 1997 and became a specialist in muscle and brain metabolism. During this period, his post-doctorate took him to
Yale University, in the laboratory of
Robert G. Shulman, one of the pillars of
nuclear magnetic resonance.In February 2005,
François d'Aubert chose Gilles Bloch as the first director of the new
National Research Agency (ANR), whose purpose is to fund public research and "partnership" research in France. Presenting an initial assessment after nine months, Gilles Bloch is pleased with the smooth running of the agency. Gilles Bloch acknowledged "youthful errors" in an assessment that was called into question by the publication of the report ''La recherche sans qualités: un audit indépendant de l'Agence nationale de la recherche'' by
Marc Flandreau. In May 2006, he was appointed Director General of Research and Innovation at the Ministry of Research. Gilles Bloch is thus an important player in the organization of research in France, an organization based on: • orientation: definition of major national policies (creation of the Strategy Directorate, the High Council for Science and Technology) • programming: translating objectives into research programs (creation of agencies that have since been merged into
Oséo) • implementation: creation of tools available to operators, in particular to help create world-class leaders, build local strategies and strengthen partnerships with companies. In 2007,
Valérie Pécresse, the new Minister of Research, confirmed Gilles Bloch as Director General of Research and Innovation. He entrusted
Jean-Pierre Alix with a mission on scientific integrity, which led to a report in September 2010. On September 1, 2009, a press release from the Ministry indicated that he was leaving his position at his own request. He was then appointed head of the Life Sciences Directorate, one of the five directorates of the
French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission. He is particularly active in promoting the integration of young PhDs into the business world. Gilles Bloch chaired the scientific interest group "Infrastructures in biology, health and agronomy" created in May 2007 and the Conference of University Presidents (CPU), and the two directorates DGRI and DGES of the
Ministry of Higher Education and Research. He is vice-president of the
FondaMental Foundation founded by
Valérie Pécresse, a scientific cooperation foundation dedicated to mental illness, which he chaired in 2011. On June 10, 2015, Gilles Bloch was elected President of the
University of Paris-Saclay by the Board of Directors of the
ComUE, succeeding
Dominique Vernay who had held this position since January 2015. At the same time, he became President of the Paris-Saclay Scientific Cooperation Foundation, which coordinates the campus operation and the Idex project. On November 26, 2018, Gilles Bloch was appointed President of
Inserm. He took office on January 2, 2019. On January 13, 2023,
French President Emmanuel Macron chose Professor
Didier Samuel, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Paris-Saclay, to succeed him as President of Inserm. In September 2023, Gilles Bloch became President of the
National Museum of Natural History, France, succeeding . == References ==