Simon Cauchemez receives the 2020 Antoine Lacassagne Prize

The Antoine Lacassagne Prize was set up in 1977 by the Collège de France to recognize research and encourage the careers of young French and international researchers in biology.

It was founded when Antoine Lacassagne, holder of the Experimental Medicine Chair at the Collège de France from 1951 to 1954, donated the prize money he had been awarded by the United Nations for his research on cancer.

The Prize includes an invitation for the laureate to present his or her research at a seminar at the Collège de France which traditionally coincides with François Jacob Day, held by the Biology Institute at the beginning of each academic year.

The laureate is selected at the meeting of the Assembly of the Collège de France in June, on a proposal from the biology professors. It was Simon Cauchemez, Head of the Mathematical Modeling of Infectious Diseases Unit, who was honored at this year's François Jacob Day, entitled "Reviving the past to understand the present," on September 28. Simon Cauchemez gave a presentation of his research about a situation that is having a major impact on the entire planet: "Characterizing the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in human populations."