Sanofi has announced the appointment of molecular biology expert Professor Bonnie Bassler as an independent member of its board of directors.

Professor Bassler is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, Squibb professor in molecular biology and chair of the department of molecular biology at the prestigious Princeton University in New Jersey.

“Sanofi has appointed Professor Bonnie Bassler as a new independent member of its board of directors.“

Boasting more than two decades of experience in her field, she was appointed by US president Barack Obama as a member of the US National Science Board in 2011 and is one of the most respected experts in her field.

Professor Bassler's appointment will help to support Sanofi's mission to develop and introduce innovative therapies.

Serge Weinberg, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Sanofi, said: "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."

This comes after the firm appointed chief scientific officer Dr Gary Nabel as its designated Ebola response coordinator earlier this month.