Francois-Xavier Weill

Francois-Xavier Weill is the Head of the Enteric Bacterial Pathogens Unit at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, France. His unit serves as the National Reference Center (CNR) for Salmonella, Shigella/Escherichia coli, and Vibrio and Cholera, and is also a WHO Collaborating Center, underscoring his pivotal role in national and global public health.

His research is centered on the intersection of microbiology, genomics, and public health. His primary interests include:

• Population dynamics and evolution of pathogenic bacteria.
• Antibiotic resistance in enteric pathogens.
• Development of novel bacterial typing and diagnostic tools using genomics (e.g., CRISPR typing).
• Genomic epidemiology of major outbreaks, particularly of cholera and shigellosis.

An analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong and consistent trend in using cutting-edge genomic techniques to investigate global infectious disease outbreaks. His work heavily focuses on Vibrio cholerae and Shigella species, tracking their spread across continents (e.g., from Africa to Europe), understanding the genetic basis of their virulence and antibiotic resistance, and solving historical epidemiological mysteries. The predominant keywords across his work are genomic epidemiology, antibiotic resistance, and outbreak investigation.

Dr. Weill is a Principal Investigator for several significant research projects, including:

• The SARA project (Surveillance of Antibiotic Resistance in Africa).
• Genomic studies on cholera epidemics in Yemen and Lebanon.
• Research on the evolutionary history of Vibrio cholerae.

He leads a dedicated team of researchers, engineers, and technicians within the Enteric Bacterial Pathogens Unit, fostering a collaborative environment focused on combating major bacterial threats to global health.