News
SPARK 2025: Four Projects Selected to Strengthen Scientific Collaboration in the Pasteur Network
In line with the strategic pillars of the Pasteur Network and its commitment to strengthening Knowledge Communities, this year’s call for collaborative projects placed a strong emphasis on supporting youngresearchers—a priority reaffirmed at the recent Pasteur Network Annual Meeting in Ho Chi Minh City. Reflecting this vision, the Pasteur Network (PN) and the Department for Scientific Programming and Incentive Actions (SPAIS) at the Institut Pasteur (Paris), are pleased to announce the results of the first edition of the SPARK – Seeded Partnerships for Advancing Research Knowledge program, dedicated to empowering the next generation of scientific leaders.
Among 18 proposals evaluated, 4 projects were selected for funding following a review by an ad hoc selection committee.
Selected Projects
- DIJER – Analyzing Defective Interfering Genomes of Japanese Encephalitis Virus and Their Effects on Virus Replication
- Partners: Institut Pasteur du Cambodge (Coordinator), Institut Pasteur Paris, Institut Pasteur du Laos
- HAAPI – Haemophilus Africa-Asia-Pacific Initiative
- Partners: Institut Pasteur Korea (Coordinator), Institut Pasteur d’Algérie, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Institut Pasteur Paris
- MAP-RES – Mapping Plasmodium species reservoirs: characterizing tissue sequestration and silent transmission in Cameroon and Cambodia
- Partners: Institut Pasteur de Nouvelle-Calédonie (Coordinator), Institut Pasteur du Cambodge
- STAMD – Stabilized Antigens for Monoclonal antibody Discovery against SFTSV
- Partners: Institut Pasteur du Cambodge (Coordinator), Centre Pasteur in Cameroon, Institut Pasteur Paris
Evaluation Criteria
- Content and context: relevance of the research question, public health impact, alignment with strategic axes, contribution to scientific knowledge and local capacity, and novelty.
- Approach and methodology: feasibility within the proposed timeframe and risk mitigation strategies.
- Consortium: quality and relevance of partners, promotion of young scientists, new collaborations, and inclusive practices.
- Budget: justification and proportionality to expected outcomes.
The selected projects will begin in early 2026 for a 2-year period.