June 09, 2023
Bulletin interne de l'Institut Pasteur
A look back at the two special events on June 1
Forty years ago, a major research discovery was made when HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, was identified by an Institut Pasteur team whose members included Françoise Barré-Sinoussi, Jean-Claude Chermann and Luc Montagnier.
The Institut Pasteur wanted to mark this anniversary by paying tribute to Françoise Barré-Sinoussi, and through her to the entire scientific community and all those involved over the past four decades in tackling HIV/AIDS. On Thursday June 1, two special events were held, and the newsletter team is pleased to present a series of photos and videos of these memorable occasions:
- The ceremony in honor of Françoise Barré-Sinoussi
- The event "HIV, 40 years on" at Ground Control
A moving ceremony that focused on the past while also reflecting on future prospects
Nearly 600 participants in total, in the CIS and also in the Emile Duclaux lecture hall, watched the first event of the day, which paid tribute to Françoise Barré-Sinoussi. The history of the response to the epidemic in France and abroad, and especially the particular contribution made by Françoise Barré-Sinoussi to this major cause in our contemporary society, was explored in several round tables and through a number of testimonies and original anecdotes from friends, close colleagues and co-workers.
Hosted by the health journalist Danielle Messager, the event opened with a video address by the French Minister for Health and Prevention, François Braun, followed by an address by Stewart Cole, President of the Institut Pasteur, who himself witnessed and was involved in this intense scientific period in the early days of the HIV epidemic.
This introductory sequence was brought to a close with the screening of a video of Françoise Barré-Sinoussi sharing her memories of identifying the virus with the help of several photos and objects from the time, and reflecting on the progress made in research in the intervening period.
Interview of Françoise Barré-Sinoussi in the greenhouse
This video really got the event going, showing the history of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the engagement of an entire community, with several moving tributes and stories from Françoise Barré-Sinoussi's former colleagues as well as from patients and organizations.
Immediately after the video, Danielle Messager kicked off the first round table on HIV/AIDS research:
• Willy Rozenbaum, Françoise Brun-Vézinet, Marie-Thérèse Nugeyre and Christine Rouzioux all spoke about the discovery and the first research advances related to HIV
• Simon Wain-Hobson and Pierre Sonigo emphasized the importance of sequencing
• Elisabeth Menu, Ahidjo Ayouba and Daniel Scott concluded this first round table by discussing international research on HIV
In the next part of the event, attention turned to the dedicated efforts of several individuals involved in HIV research:
• Laurence Weiss and Jean-François Chambon spoke about how research was transformed through contact with patients
• Marc Dixneuf, Pauline Londeix and Florence Thune highlighted the engagement and close links with charities (AIDES, Act Up-Paris and Sidaction, respectively)
• Jean-François Delfraissy explored the geopolitical impact of the discovery
A final round table on future prospects then got under way, with:
• Michaela Muller-Trutwin and Asier Saez-Cirion, who spoke about research today and in the future
• Dominique Costagliola, Elizabeth Maloney and Hanoi-Ivan Guillermo Monteil, who reflected on the legacy of this major discovery and the way in which it was a source of inspiration for the scientific community
After a very personal closing address by Erik Orsenna, Ambassador for the Institut Pasteur and the Pasteur Network, Françoise Barré-Sinoussi herself took to the stage to conclude this emotionally charged event and to reflect on the discussions and memories that had been shared during the celebration.
"HIV, 40 years on," an event that brought the public together
Following on from the ceremony in honor of Françoise Barré-Sinoussi on June 1, the celebrations continued with a special evening organized by the Institut Pasteur for the general public. The event took place off campus at "Ground Control," a cultural venue in Paris' 12th arrondissement.
The evening was open to all, giving the Institut Pasteur a further opportunity to reach out to society by inviting members of the public to meet Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and the scientists currently working on HIV as part of this special anniversary year marking 40 years since the discovery of HIV.
The program was as follows:
• Two round tables were organized:
- A first round table highlighted interactions between scientists, patients and healthcare workers.
- A second round table took the form of an interactive quiz, giving the audience a chance to answer a series of questions, with three Institut Pasteur scientists offering additional explanations and insights.
See the round tables at the "HIV, 40 years on" event on YouTube
• Attendees also enjoyed a street art performance organized in collaboration with street artist Kekli. To mark the occasion, the artist produced a dedicated visual for the event, signed and customizable in real time at his stand.
• Several organizations, including AIDES, Act Up-Paris and Les Petits Bonheurs, were at the event to provide information and raise awareness.
• There was an exhibition featuring the iconic image taken in 1983 (the first image of HIV) and showing subsequent images of the virus and its targets over the years as microscopy techniques have improved.
• A documentary on the 30th anniversary of the collective TRT-5 CHV was screened.
• A concert by the artist Corinne rounded off this second special event.
All in all it was a packed, lively program for an emotion-filled day, an opportunity to remind us all – Institut Pasteur staff and the general public alike – of the history of HIV/AIDS and the story behind a major scientific discovery, and to shine a light on the dedication and perseverance of the scientists who are continuing the fight today.
Crédits : Institut Pasteur / François Gardy