Report on the 2019 Sanofi-Institut Pasteur Awards

On December 12, the 2019 edition of the Scientific Symposium was held on the Institut Pasteur campus. The event included the prize-giving ceremony for the Sanofi-Institut Pasteur Awards and was hosted by Pascale Cossart, vice-chair of the jury.

For this eighth edition, four laureates were selected by an international jury of eminent researchers. One International Senior Award and three International Junior Awards were presented in recognition of the scientific excellence of research in two areas: immunology, and microbiology and infection.

This year, Dr. Carl F. Nathan (Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City) received the International Senior Award for his major discoveries in our understanding of host-pathogen interactions, including macrophage activation by interferon gamma. His work has helped shape the field of immunology and considerably influenced the treatment of infectious diseases.

Three scientists also won International Junior Awards:

• Professor Andrea Ablasser (EPFL, Lausanne), in the field of innate immunity, for her key discovery of the role played by DNA recognition during infection. This finding has inspired efforts to devise strategies for treating inflammation-related disorders by interfering with innate immune responses.

• Professor Ido Amit (Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel), for his innovative research on single cells. His work has revealed the immense diversity of immune cell types, revolutionizing basic immunology and immunotherapy research.

• Dr. Marek Basler (University of Basel, Biozentrum, Switzerland), whose research has shed light on the workings of a key bacterial nanomachine that delivers effectors to neighboring cells. His findings have had a major impact on several areas of microbiology, especially bacterial pathogenesis and the study of polymicrobial communities.

Following the prize-giving ceremony, each winner was given the opportunity to deliver a lecture at this prestigious event.
 

See the videos of the winners' presentations

(Photos : Alban Orsini)