Dr. Alain Deshayes is an agronomist specialized in genetic and plant breeding. He spent most of his career at INRA (now INRAE), France’s National Institute of Agronomic Research, where he served as Director of Research.
Following initial work at INRA’s mutagenesis laboratory in Dijon, and a year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Alain moved to the Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin’s Laboratory of Cell Biology in Versailles. He then joined the Plan Science division at INRA’s headquarters in Paris, notably leading their activities related to biotechnology, before working at Nestlé’s Research Center in Tours,as Deputy Head Manager in charge of scientific programs.
Since retirement, Alain has been active in various NGOs, in particular the Association Française des Biotechnologies Végétales (AFBV), where he now sits on the board having previously served as President for a three-year term.