Dr. Thierry Lefrançois is a senior veterinary public health expert and international research leader with over 30 years of experience in animal health, emerging infectious diseases, and the One Health approach. He currently serves as Advisor to the CEO at CIRAD (French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development) and as General Inspector of Veterinary Public Health.

Dr. Lefrançois has held multiple high-level leadership roles, including Director of CIRAD’s Biological Systems Department, overseeing nine research units and more than 500 staff, and Head of several international reference research units in animal and zoonotic diseases. He was a member of the French COVID-19 Scientific Council (2021–2022) and is an expert and bureau member of COVARS, advising the French government on health risk anticipation.

A recognized authority in One Health, he co-founded and co-coordinates the PREZODE Initiative on preventing zoonotic disease emergence and has led major European and international projects on epidemic intelligence and vector-borne diseases. His expertise spans zoonoses, emerging and re-emerging diseases, and health surveillance systems across Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean.

Dr. Lefrançois has authored over 90 scientific publications, teaches at leading academic institutions, and has received prestigious distinctions including the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur and the Bourgelat Award.