French drug maker Sanofi has appointed Dr. Yong-Jun Liu, one of the world's most prolific researchers in immunology, as Head of Research, Global R&D, effective April 1, 2016. Dr. Liu will report to Dr. Elias Zerhouni, President, Global R&D, and will be responsible for leading all of Sanofi's research with the goal of delivering innovative and high-value medicines for patients. He will work in collaboration with Sanofi's Senior Leadership Team to build a competitive R&D organization that leverages the best expertise, both internally and externally.

Dr. Liu received his doctor of medicine degree in 1984 from Norman Bethune University School of Medicine in China, and earned his doctorate in immunology in 1989 at the University of Birmingham in the UK. His research has led to the development of several key drug targets in the areas of allergy, immunology and oncology. Dr. Liu has 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry and at leading medical research centers. From 1991 to 1997, he was a Senior and then Principal Scientist at Schering-Plough's Laboratory for Immunological Research.

Dr. Liu held a Principal Staff Scientist position at the DNAX Research Institute in California until 2002, when he became the founding director of the Cancer Immunology Research Institute at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. At MD Anderson, he also served as the Chair of the Department of Immunology, building the leading immunology program in the U.S. In 2011, Dr. Liu joined the Baylor Research Institute as Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, and Director of the Baylor Institute for Immunology Research. He was appointed Head of Research at MedImmune in January, 2014.