Jules A. Hoffmann

Jules A. Hoffmann (born August 2, 1941) is a Franco-Luxembourgish biologist. During his career, Hoffmann and his research team unraveled the broad spectrum of mechanism of innate immunity in insects, and he is widely recognized for his contributions to the understanding of the role of the innate immune system in humans.

Early Life and Education

Hoffmann was born in Echternach, Luxembourg. He studied biology at the University of Strasbourg in France, where he received his PhD in 1969.

Career

In 1978, Hoffmann became a Research Director of CNRS and, in 1993, he was named a Professor of Immunology at the University of Strasbourg. He served as the President of the French National Academy of Sciences from 2007 to 2008.

Research

Hoffmann's research primarily focuses on the innate immune response in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. His work has been instrumental in demonstrating the conserved nature of the innate immune response between insects and mammals. His most notable work, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2011, involved the discovery of the role of the Toll-like receptor in innate immunity.

Awards and Honors

In addition to the Nobel Prize, Hoffmann has received numerous other awards and honors for his work, including the Balzan Prize for Immunological Approaches in Cancer Therapy (2007), and the Keio Medical Science Prize (2010).

Personal Life

Hoffmann is married to fellow scientist Chantal Ferrand, and they have two children.

See Also

• List of Nobel laureates in Physiology or Medicine
• Innate immune system
• Toll-like receptor