Prof. Benani serves as the head of the Molecular Biology Laboratory at the Pasteur Institute of Morocco, which holds national recognition as a reference Molecular Biology Laboratory for the Hepatitis C Program under the Moroccan Ministry of Health. Actively contributing to the Advisory Board, he participated in the Consultative Meeting on Regional Strategy for Prevention and Control of Viral Hepatitis and Other Epidemics-Prone Blood-Borne Diseases in 2008 (WHO/EMRO, Cairo, Egypt).
His academic journey includes earning a PhD in Molecular Microbiology from Fes University (Morocco) in 2002, focusing on the “Molecular Epidemiology of Hepatitis C in Morocco.” He also attained a Master’s degree in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology from the Université Libre of Bruxelles (ULB, Belgium) in 1993, exploring the “anti-tumoral action of Parvoviruses.”
Prof. Benani actively participates in various international and national workshops and congresses and has contributed to several reputable journals such as the Journal of Medical Virology, BMC Public Health, and Virology Journal. He engages in active research in the molecular epidemiology of HBV and HCV in both the general population and high-risk groups in Morocco.
His involvement extends beyond research, as evidenced by organizing the “First International Symposium for Virology in Morocco” in 2003 (Marrakech, Morocco), the “First PCR Forum and Molecular Typing” at the Pasteur Institute of Morocco in 2007, and participating in similar forums in Algeria in 2008 and Tunisia in 2009. In 2015, he took part in the Hepatitis C Workshop at the 5th World Congress on Virology in Atlanta, USA.
Furthermore, Prof. Benani actively contributes to the training of students in research, including Master’s and PhD programs, and serves as a reviewer and editorial board member for various international journals. At present, he is a reviewer for several grant agencies.