November 24, 2023
Bulletin interne de l'Institut Pasteur
French Academy of Sciences awards, 2023 Impulscience award, Highly Cited Researchers 2023: several Institut Pasteur scientists recognized with awards
- Several Institut Pasteur scientists recognized by the French Academy of Sciences
On October 17 and November 21, the French Academy of Sciences held two ceremonies at the Institut de France to present all its awards for 2023. The Academy of Sciences awards go to both experienced scientists and early career researchers. The awards are funded through generous donations and public and private partnerships. They support the Academy of Sciences in its mission to encourage and promote science. The awards were presented at a ceremony at the Institut de France on November 21, 2023.
• Philippe Bousso, winner of the Human Biology and Medical Science Medal Inserm
Research Director and Director of the Department of Immunology at the Institut Pasteur
Philippe Bousso develops in vivo functional imaging techniques to elucidate and manipulate the orchestration of immune responses. His research has given us a better understanding of how cells in the immune system communicate and perform their function during cancer and infectious diseases, opening up new therapeutic avenues based on these mechanisms.
• Romain Koszul, winner of the Molecular and Cellular Biology, Genomics Medal
Professor at the Institut Pasteur, CNRS Research Director in the Genomes and Genetics Department (Institut Pasteur/CNRS)
Romain Koszul explores the links between the 3D organization of chromosomes and the metabolic processes associated with DNA, such as transcription and compaction. His team works on species from all areas of the living world, especially micro-organisms, using a combination of techniques from molecular, computational and synthetic biology. The team has also developed approaches to explore the 3D collisions between DNA segments that can shed light on the composition of complex microbial and viral populations.
• Anne-Lise Giraud, winner of the 2023 Lamonica Neurology Prize
Since 1666, the French Academy of Sciences has bestowed awards on both experienced scientists and early career researchers in all research fields. The Academy has five main missions: to encourage scientific life, promote the teaching of science, transmit knowledge, foster international collaboration and offer expertise and advice.
In pursuit of these missions, since 2009 the Academy has awarded the Lamonica Neurology Prize (previously the French Foundation for Medical Research Prize). This year's prize went to Anne-Lise Giraud, Director of the Hearing Institute (an Institut Pasteur center) and Director of the re-Connect IHU (university hospital institute).
re-Connect was jointly founded by the Hearing Institute, the Paris Public Hospital Network (AP-HP), the Institut Pasteur, the Fondation Pour l'Audition, Université Paris Cité and Inserm to improve the detection and treatment of hearing and speech disorders and to move from compensatory medicine to reparative medicine.
Anne-Lise Giraud is particularly interested in the neurobiological mechanisms underpinning speech function, especially the use of neurocomputational oscillatory principles to treat neurodevelopmental and acquired speech disorders, a field in which she has made major breakthroughs.
• Rayan Chikhi, winner of the Mme Victor Noury/Fondation de l'Institut de France Prize
The 2023 Mme Victor Noury/Fondation de l'Institut de France Prize went to Rayan Chikhi, a research associate at the Institut Pasteur and the CNRS.
Rayan Chikhi leads the Sequence Bioinformatics team at the Institut Pasteur. His research applies computer techniques to DNA sequencing data. He recently contributed to the discovery of new RNA virus species, including previously unknown coronaviruses. He coordinates several national and European research projects for the development of novel algorithms that can be used to analyze vast databases containing all the genetic diversity on Earth.
Find out more about the French Academy of Sciences awards
- Simonetta Gribaldo, winner of a 2023 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, Simonetta Gribaldo, head of the Evolutionary Biology of the Microbial Cell unit, is one of the seven "Impulscience 2023" prizewinners, for her project on the evolution of the bacterial envelope.
Find out more about this program
Photo : © Alexandre Darmon/Art in Research pour la Fondation Bettencourt Schueller
- 7 Institut Pasteur scientists on the Highly Cited Researchers 2022 list
Each year, Clarivate Analytics (producer of Web of Science), which specializes in analyzing scientific production, publishes a list of the most cited researchers, in other words those who have had a significant influence in 21 research fields by publishing multiple highly cited articles over the past decade.
In 2023, 7,125 scientists were selected on the basis of the number of highly cited articles that they produced over an 11-year period, from January 2012 to December 2022, either in one of the 21 research fields or in several fields if they are involved in multidisciplinary research. The Highly Cited Researchers list has a significant impact as it serves as a basis for several international rankings, including the Shanghai ranking, in which it counts for 20% of the overall score given to each university.
This year the 2023 Institut Pasteur winners are: James Di Santo, Gérard Eberl, Mart Krupovic, Marc Lecuit, Hugo Mouquet, Felix Rey and Olivier Schwartz.