awards
Impulscience® award, "Ruban Rose Avenir" award, EMBO Young Investigator Award, National Order of Merit: Institut Pasteur staff recognized
Camille Berthelot, winner of a 2025 Impulscience® program from the Fondation Bettencourt Schueller
The Fondation Bettencourt Schueller supports and encourages scientists who help boost France's impact in life sciences. This has been the Foundation's primary commitment since it was established in 1987. While it mainly focuses on basic research, its aim is to improve human health.
In 2022, the Foundation introduced a new support program for talented French researchers in life sciences: Impulscience®. Aimed at mid-career researchers, the program addresses two key issues: protecting the freedom of innovation of French scientists and offering long-term support. Each grant is worth €2.3 million for five years.
This year, Camille Berthelot, Head of the Comparative Functional Genomics Unit, is one of seven winners of the 2025 Impulscience® award for her research aimed at unraveling the mysteries of uterine regeneration by elucidating the genetic and molecular principles underpinning adaptations in the uterus that maintain fertility throughout reproductive life.
In women, the uterine mucosa undergoes cyclical changes under the influence of sex hormones to prepare for the possibility of pregnancy: it differentiates, breaks down, then regenerates. Camille Berthelot's team is seeking to shed light on these processes that play such a crucial role in reproduction by adopting a unique approach: comparing cellular and genetic mechanisms in different animal species.
Han Li, winner of the 2025 "Ruban Rose Avenir" award
Every year, tthe "Ruban Rose" (Pink Ribbon) association invests in research to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. This year, it is supporting ten projects selected by an international jury, including the research project led by Han Li, Head of the Cellular Plasticity in Age-Related Pathologies Unit at the Institut Pasteur. For her project on postpartum breast cancer, Han Li received the the 2025 "Ruban Rose Avenir" award at a ceremony held on 2 December, attended by Yaël Braun-Pivet, President of the French National Assembly.
After breastfeeding, breast tissue remodels itself. Dr. Li's team has demonstrated that, during postpartum involution, certain cells enter a specific state called senescence. This state normally promotes healing and remodeling of breast tissue after breastfeeding, but it can also, in some cases, create a pro-tumorigenic microenvironment, thus leading to the high aggressiveness of postpartum breast cancer. Dr. Li's project aims to decipher the role of these senescent cells in tumor transformation and to identify the molecular and metabolic mechanisms that trigger immunosuppression and the formation of metastases.
The "Ruban Rose Avenir" (Pink Ribbon for the Future) award goes to physicians and scientists emphasising the ambition and creativity of projects, in terms of both subject matter and methodological and technological approach, aimed at making major breakthroughs in tackling breast cancer.
Discover Han Li's videoFind the 2025 winners and photos from the ceremony
Sebastian Baumgarten selected as a European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) Young Investigator
The aim of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) is to promote excellence in biology by supporting talented researchers at all stages of their careers, stimulating dialog and encouraging the development of an outstanding scientific environment in the field of life sciences.
On December 2, EMBO published its list of the 28 scientists selected from among the best group leaders in Europe and beyond for the Young Investigators Award. They include Sebastian Baumgarten, Head of parasite RNA Biology five-year group, with his research project: ‘Origin and function of ribosome heterogeneity’.
The new EMBO Young Investigators are active members of the programme for four years, and become part of an international network of nearly 800 current and former EMBO Young Investigators, Installation Grantees and Global Investigators. These 28 scientists are conducting research on a broad range of questions in the life sciences and include the gut microbiome of infants, the demographics of indigenous American populations, the neural blueprint of brain tumours and the role of the RNA polymerase II in transcription.
Of the 28 researchers who will join the EMBO Young Investigator Programme, 12 are women (43%), 14 are men (50%) and two did not specify their gender (7%). They are based in 10 member states of the EMBC, the intergovernmental organization that funds the EMBO Programmes, as well as in India and Taïwan.
For further details about the programme, including eligibility criteria and the application process
Aude Bernheim, Fernando Arenzana-Seisdedos and Catherine Touvrey recognized in recent National Order of Merit promotions
On December 2, the French Official Journal published the list of promotions for the National Order of Merite,which included Aude Bernheim, head of Molecular Diversity of Microbes five-year group, Fernando Arenzana-Seisdedos, former Head of the Viral Pathogenesis Unit and former Acting International Head and Catherine Touvrey, CEO of Harmonie Mutuelle and member of the Institut Pasteur's Board of Directors.
Aude Bernheim and Fernando Arenzana-Seisdedos have been appointed to the rank of Chevalier of the National Order of Merit and Catherine Touvrey has been appointed to the rank of Officier of the National Order of Merit.