After graduating in Applied and Industrial Microbiology at the ESIL (Ecole Supérieure d’Ingénieur de Luminy) in Marseilles, Gilles Ravot completed a Ph.D. in Microbiology at the University of Marseilles in 1996.
At this time, he focussed on industrial microbiology, more specifically on the impact of thermophilic bacteria in oil fields and oil wells. He then joined Sanofi-Recherche in Toulouse, France for developing new tools for industrial molecular diagnosis. At Sanofi-Recherche, he also ran collaborative research with the oil company Elf.
He then joined Protéus upon inception of the company. He established the microbiology team of Protéus, actively developing a network of international collaborations with the most renown academic and industrial laboratories, thus creating what is probably today the broadest private collection of extremophilic microorganisms worldwide. In parallel, he also created and managed a group of molecular biology dedicated to cloning and expression of industrial enzymes. He then took responsibility for the operational R&D of Protéus, actively directing and supporting the R&D teams and later became Chief Scientific Officer of the company and now Chief Executive Officer.
Gilles has an extensive experience in the project management of research projects for industrial applications as well as projects in partnership with academic laboratories both in France and overseas. A recognized and experienced specialist of industrial microbiology and extremophilic biodiversity, his work has resulted in the filing of several patents. A guest speaker at the universities of Marseilles and Montpellier-Nîmes and at an engineering school in Marseilles, he is the author of the chapter on the industrial application of extremophiles of the latest volume of the reference series Methods in Microbiology published by Elsevier/Academic Press.
gravot@proteus.fr