In Paris he studied natural sciences under zoologist Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville (1777-1850).
In 1874 he became professor of embryogeny at the Collège de France, where he remained until his death in 1899.
He is credited with the discovery of sexual organ development in Chironomus which eventually led to the general theory on the autonomy of the germ cell.
Also, he conducted comprehensive biological research on the sexual habits of Phylloxera vastatrix.
In 1884, his daughter Laure Balbiani married psychologist Alfred Binet.