Six Young Researchers from Pasteur Network Institutions participate in the 2024 PhD Graduation Ceremony
Six young graduates from the Pasteur Network were honored at the Institut Pasteur’s PhD Graduation Ceremony on December 6th 2024. This celebration marked the end of a chapter for this new generation of researchers.
Since 2013, this annual event —organized by the Education Department of Institut Pasteur—has showcased the achievements of young researchers, marking its 12th edition in 2024. Presided over by Prof. Yasmine Belkaid, President of the Institut Pasteur, the ceremony featured a keynote address by Sir Shankar Balasubramanian, Herchel Smith Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Cambridge and Senior Group Leader at the Cancer
Research UK Cambridge Institute. Renowned for his groundbreaking work in the chemical biology of nucleic acids, Sir Shankar shared an inspiring message to young graduates encouraging them to pursue exploration over linear career pathways and take all the competencies learned during PhDs also outside of the laboratories.
Following his speech, Rebecca Grais, Executive Director of the Pasteur Network, formally introduced the PN graduates, emphasizing their contributions to a wide range of research fields. Each laureate also presented the highlights of their PhDs.
Doctoral students from the Network had the opportunity to work on a wide variety of topics reinforcing the strength and reach of the Pasteur Network’s global research community:
Degrâce BATANTOU – Institut Pasteur de Guadeloupe
Thesis: Antimicrobial resistance and transmission routes: From the hospital to the natural environment
Quote:
“A scientist has two passions in his heart: understanding the world and changing it”
Biosketch:
Degrâce Batantou is a researcher in bacteriology and a second-year medical student at the University of Toulouse. On 8 April 2024, she defended her thesis in bacteriology with the congratulations of the jury. This work, funded by the French National Research Agency and carried out at the Institut Pasteur de la Guadeloupe as part of the DEECA doctoral school, focused on the spread of antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli. The aim was to elucidate the mechanisms and dynamics of the spread of these bacteria in clinical and environmental contexts.
During her PhD, she acquired expertise in bioinformatics, which was strengthened by training at the Institute of Hydrobiology in Dresden, Germany. These skills enabled her to analyse bacterial genomes, to identify resistance genes and explore plasmids. This work has led to one publication in an A-rated journal, two manuscripts currently under submission and two co-edited articles. She is currently studying medicine, with the aim of combining clinical practice and research to develop innovative solutions to infectious diseases. She is committed to the advancement of women in science, working with personalities such as Pr Francis Ntoumi to promote their visibility and success. Her career path reflects her desire to actively contribute to scientific progress and respond to global public health challenges.
Emmanuelle CLERVIL – Institut Pasteur de Guyane
Thesis: “Faisabilité et acceptabilité de la méthode Wolbachia en Guyane”
Quote: “A great team with a lot of chocolates makes a wonderful PhD”
Biosketch:
After working for two years at the CNRS on a Feder project: SextoniAedes, Emmanuelle Clervil obtained a PhD in medical entomology within the medical entomology team at the Institut Pasteur de la Guyane, focusing on Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. This experience offered her the opportunity to refine her skills in medical entomology and virology, while also developing her teaching abilities through interventions in the school environment with high school students.
Currently, she is preparing to take on a position as a medical entomologist at CESPA, where she will focus on a new research topic with a new study model, ticks. A new adventure that promises to be both varied and enriching.
Nadia KHERIJI – Institut Pasteur de Tunis
Thesis: Epidemiological and Biological Study of Monogenic and Multifactorial Forms of Diabetes in Tunisia: Impact of Genetic and Environmental Factors
Quote: “The road is not always a straight line. It’s a curve, and it’s not finished until you keep going”
Biosketch:
Dr. Nadia Kheriji is a researcher in Human Biology with expertise in genomics, bioinformatics, and nutritional sciences. She completed her PhD at the University of Tunis El Manar in collaboration with the Pasteur Institute of Tunis, where she focused on monogenic and multifactorial forms of diabetes in the Tunisian population. Her research integrates next-generation sequencing, whole-genome analysis, and statistical methods to advance personalized medicine.
She published 9 papers in high-impact journals. Dr. Kheriji has presented her research at esteemed international conferences, including the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) and the Francophone Diabetes Society (SFD). She is the recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Best Young Research Presenter Award at the African Society of Human Genetics Conference and multiple travel awards. Her contributions extend to teaching and mentoring graduate students, as well as engaging in multidisciplinary projects focusing on the genomics of metabolic diseases. Her primary goal is to enhance scientific knowledge and contribute to personalized medicine and targeted therapies for diabetic patients.
Florencia RAMMAURO – Institut Pasteur Montevideo
Thesis: Systemic Approach to the Antibody-Mediated Immune Response Against SARS-CoV-2
Quote: “Sometimes it is necessary to do science that changes today”
Biosketch:
Throughout her career, she has studied the innate and adaptive immune responses in fields such as allergy, cancer, and infection (Leptospira spp., BLV, SARS-CoV-2). Since joining the Immunovirology Lab in 2018, she has led research on the humoral response to Bovine Leukemia Virus (BLV), supported by an INI-CSIC project, and collaborated on studies of bovine pathogens of economic relevance.
During the pandemic, she developed and optimized ELISA-based methods to detect IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, resulting in three versions of a national ELISA kit. This allowed the evaluation of the humoral response to COVID-19 vaccination in Uruguay, including transplant and chronic dialysis patients, and informed public health decisions on booster doses. These studies led to five peer-reviewed publications, international presentations, and a funded project to detect neutralizing antibodies against variants.
Currently, she leads a research line on Human T-lymphotropic Virus (HTLV), focusing on molecular epidemiology and immune responses. As part of an HTLV working group integrated into a regional network, she coordinates a PAHO-funded project to enhance HTLV surveillance in South America. Since 2022, she co-coordinates the Immunovirology Lab at the Institut Pasteur of Montevideo.
Emiliya STOYANOVA – The Stephan Angeloff Institute of Microbiology
Thesis: A novel approach for treatment by epitope – specific tumor inhibition of mouse model of melanoma
Quote: “I’m passionate about oncology and immunology and confident that my expertise in these areas will enable me to make a significant contribution to the field of research.”
Biosketch:
As a Ph.D. graduate from the Department of Immunology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in Sofia, she is eager to share my research on tumor immunology. Her commitment to oncology and immunology stems from the recognition that current cancer therapies often lack selectivity, leading to challenges and failures in clinical trials. Therefore, developing new targeted drugs is crucial.
Her work explores hemocyanins—copper-containing glycoproteins with potential as anti-cancer agents. These unique molecules have been effectively utilized to treat superficial bladder cancer and melanoma. In her study, she aimed to selectively suppress tumor progression in a mouse melanoma model using a chimeric protein vaccine that conjugates a hemocyanin molecule to a mimotope peptide resembling the tumor-associated carbohydrate epitope GD3. They successfully demonstrated that the engineered vaccines RtH-GD3P4 and HaH-GD3P4 elicited strong anti-tumor immune responses in the B16F10 murine melanoma model. Their findings indicate multiple mechanisms for tumor suppression and present a promising approach for cancer therapy and vaccine research.
Khamsing VONGPHAYLOTH – Institut pasteur du Laos
Thesis: Inventories of Sandfly and Sandfly-borne Pathogens in Laos
Quote: “Insects are more than just arthropods; they are vital vectors of human diseases, linking nature and public health in ways that impact millions worldwide.”
Biosketch:
Khamsing Vongphayloth, MD, is a research scientist specializing in medical entomology and zoology, with a focus on the systematics and bio-ecology of medically important vectors, such as mosquitoes, sandflies, ticks, and other hematophagous arthropods in Laos. He graduated from the Lao University of Health Sciences and then pursued a master’s degree in tropical medicine and international health at the French-speaking institution, l’Institut Francophone de Médecine Tropicale (IFMT), Vientiane, Laos.
Dr. Vongphayloth’s research interests include taxonomy, bio-ecology, and the pathogens associated with hematophagous arthropods, as well as other reservoirs of zoonotic diseases. His research has earned him grants to actively monitor ticks and tick-borne pathogens, sandflies and sandfly-borne pathogens, and other zoonotic diseases in Laos.
He is currently the head of the Medical Entomology and Vector-Borne Diseases Laboratory at the Institut Pasteur du Laos. He successfully defended his PhD at the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, France, in last September, with a dissertation titled “Inventory of Sandflies and Their Related Pathogens in Laos.” He resides in Vientiane, Laos.