International news

• Visit of the French President to the Institut Pasteur in Montevideo

The French President François Hollande was received at the Institut Pasteur de Montevideo on February 25, 2016 by the President of the Executive Board, Ricardo Ehrlich and the Executive Director of the Institute Pasteur, Luis Barbeito with Uruguayan Ministers of finance and public health.

The tour through the facilities included a visit to the Mixed Unit PASTEUR - INIA: joint laboratory whose researches focus on infectious diseases that have an impact on the productive sector, like Leptospirosis and Bovine Leukemia virus, among others.

During his speech François Hollande praised the work of Institut Pasteur worldwide and recognized the position Institut Pasteur de Montevideo as a world reference center for biomedical research. The President said that one of the biggest scientific challenges of today is fighting Zika virus that only in Latin America have affected over 2 million people.

The visit concluded with the distinction of Ricardo Ehrlich to the grade of Officer of the Legion of Honor.

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• Inauguration of a new biosafety level 3+ laboratory (P3 +) at the Institut Pasteur of French Guiana

Mrs. Marisol Touraine, Minister of Social Affairs and Health has inaugurated Saturday, February 27, 2016 the new biosafety level 3+ laboratory at the Institut Pasteur of French Guiana.

This new P3+ laboratory P3 respecting international standards will be equipped with a biosafety cabinet allowing to diagnose hemorragic and emerging viruses. It completes the technical platform of the Institut Pasteur in French Guiana which already has the Amazonian Vectopôle.

In a context where epidemic outbreaks succeed (Dengue, Chikungunya, Zika) with a high risk of spread of the viruses in the American region, the laboratory enhances diagnostic capabilities of French Guiana and the wider region in supporting authorities involved in the fight against infectious and emerging diseases.

This laboratory will play an important role in the development of research programs in accordance with the scientific strategy of the Institut Pasteur in French Guiana involving various multidisciplinary teams of virologists, biologists, entomologists, epidemiologists and physicians.

This level of laboratory P3 + was built with the support of the French government, the European Union (ERDF program) and the expertise of the Institut Pasteur. This laboratory will help advance research in collaboration with regional partners and with the institutions of the Institut Pasteur International Network.