July 04, 2025
Bulletin interne de l'Institut Pasteur
Appointment of David Fidock as Scientific Advisor to the President
On the proposal of the senior management team, David Fidock will soon be joining the Institut Pasteur as Scientific Advisor to the President, to strengthen the leadership of the scientific strategy and support implementation of the Pasteur 2030 Strategic Plan.
David Fidock, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Columbia University (New York, United States), has a distinguished academic and scientific background in the field of infectious diseases and is internationally recognized for his research on malaria and resistance to malaria treatment. His expertise is fully in line with the priorities of the Strategic Plan. Over the course of his scientific career, David Fidock has pursued both high quality basic research on the mechanisms of antimalarial drug resistance and also more applied research via translational projects and public-private collaborations. He has proven his ability to develop top-level international research networks, building and leading large-scale consortia. This experience will be crucial for the Institut Pasteur's partnership policy, whether with members of the Pasteur Network or with global players such as the Wellcome Trust and the Gates Foundation. David Fidock is currently President of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and a member of the WHO Global Malaria Programme. Born in France, he speaks French and completed his PhD in Microbiology at the Institut Pasteur in 1994.
He was selected following the international call for applications circulated among French, European and international research institutions in December 2024, and was interviewed by the Board of Governors after being presented by the senior management team. He will take up the post of Scientific Advisor from September 1, 2025, and work closely with Patrick Trieu-Cuot, Vice-President Scientific Affairs.
In his capacity as Scientific Advisor, David Fidock's responsibilities will include:
• overseeing coordination with the heads of the four scientific priorities in the Strategic Plan to guarantee the consistency and impact of the Institut Pasteur's scientific action;
• supervising the scientific leadership of the Institut Pasteur's major strategic projects, especially the Research Center on Climate- and Environment-related Infections, the research initiative on vaccinology and immunotherapy, and the partnerships with EMBL, the Institut Curie and the Imagine Institute;
• devising and implementing the Institut Pasteur's partnership strategy with leading research and academic organizations, in collaboration with those in positions of leadership, to boost its influence and visibility while also offering new opportunities to scientists on campus;
• participating in the governing bodies overseeing the Institut Pasteur's strategy and scientific action, alongside department directors, unit heads and the representatives of the main scientific communities, to help improve working conditions and opportunities for Institut Pasteur scientists.
Alongside David Fidock's appointment as Scientific Advisor, a new Scientific Affairs Division (previously the Executive Scientific Division) is also being set up, following a proposal from the senior management team approved by the Board of Governors at its meeting on July 2. During the Board meeting, again following a proposal from the senior management team, the Board of Governors approved the appointment of Patrick Trieu-Cuot, previously acting Senior Executive Scientific Vice-President, as Vice-President Scientific Affairs from July 2, 2025.
"I am delighted to be coming back to the Institut Pasteur and to have the opportunity to contribute to the success of its scientific strategy over the coming years. The Institut Pasteur is not only a place that means a lot to me (I completed my PhD here in 1994); it is internationally recognized as a global leader in research on life sciences and infectious diseases. It is also at the center of a unique and vibrant scientific and human community that extends beyond campus walls and national borders. I am proud to serve the Institut Pasteur once again and excited to work with its wealth of talent. I would like to thank Yasmine Belkaid for placing her trust in me and I am very much looking forward to working with you all very soon, in close conjunction with Patrick Trieu-Cuot," said David Fidock, Scientific Advisor to the Institut Pasteur President.
"The Institut Pasteur is delighted to welcome a scientist with as distinguished a career as David Fidock. His knowledge of the Institut Pasteur, his extensive experience of high-level scientific projects and international research, and the way in which his skills will perfectly complement those of Patrick Trieu-Cuot, newly appointed Vice-President Scientific Affairs, will be extremely beneficial for the implementation of the scientific priorities of the Pasteur 2030 plan," added Institut Pasteur President, Yasmine Belkaid.
"I remain firmly committed to the Institut Pasteur's scientific strategy. I would like to thank Yasmine Belkaid for entrusting me with this new role and I am very much looking forward to working in the new Scientific Affairs Division, in close collaboration with David Fidock as he takes up the position of Scientific Advisor. We are well under way in our implementation of the Strategic Plan, and there is a huge amount of work to do, from supporting the scientific priorities to introducing incentive programs and finalizing the recruitment of future G5s. These are exciting projects that will play a key role in the future of our campus, the professional development of our staff and the visibility and impact of the Institut Pasteur's science," concluded Patrick Trieu-Cuot, Vice-President Scientific Affairs at the Institut Pasteur.