On Friday, June 28th, the Pasteur Network successfully held its second Africa Regional Meeting, bringing together leading experts from member institutes across the continent. This pivotal gathering underscored the importance of collaboration and sharing expertise to tackle the pressing health challenges faced by the African region, focusing on three main thematic areas. 

The meeting opened with remarks from Amadou Alpha Sall, President of the Pasteur Network, and Board member of the Africa region, who emphasized the network’s mission and vision. Thematic experts led insightful discussions across various sessions : 

The Pasteur Network Africa Regional Meeting organized by Sandrine Kyane, Strategic Development Officer for the Africa Region, marked a significant milestone in enhancing regional collaboration, addressing public health challenges, and advancing the collective mission of improving global health.  

The discussions and outcomes of this meeting will undoubtedly contribute to a stronger, more resilient network poised to tackle future health crises with unparalleled expertise and unity. A key focus of the meeting was on strengthening partnerships and leveraging the unique strengths of the network’s member institutes.  

Equitable partnership remains a core value, guiding discussions and prioritizing collective interests, ensuring that all member institutes have access to resources and opportunities for collaboration. 

Members in Africa region :  

Centre Pasteur in Cameroon, Institut Pasteur de Bangui, CERMES Niger, Institut Pasteur de Côte d’Ivoire, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Institut Pasteur de Guinée, Institut Pasteur de Madagascar 

More information:

https://pasteur-network.org/en/members/

  

On May 29th, the second online scientific meeting brought together over 70 scientists from the Pasteur Network to share their knowledge and expertise on vaccine development.

Chaired by Dr. Delaram Doroud, Director Director of research, technology and Education of Institute Pasteur Iran with the support of Khaoula Abidi, the Strategic Development officer for the Asia-Pacific Region of the Pasteur Network – this regional meeting featured presentations of experts from Institut Pasteur of Iran, the Institut Pasteur Korea, and the Institut Pasteur of Ho Chi Minh City.

The meeting fostered engaging discussions among participants. This topic aligns with the Pasteur Network’s strategic pillar of Research, Development, and Innovation, shared by all members of the network.

The Asia-Pacific region is a hotspot for emerging infectious diseases due to factors like dense populations, diverse ecosystems, and frequent travel, making the region more vulnerable to outbreaks. The local presence of Pasteur Network members in Asia and the Pacific allows researchers to understand specific needs and challenges to better find solutions. Vaccine development is essential to controlling outbreaks before they become widespread epidemics. The network’s research capabilities are crucial for rapid response. The Pasteur Network fosters collaboration among members to accelerate vaccine development by sharing resources, expertise, and data.

The +70 participants attended three presentations followed by discussions:

Professor Sima Rafati from Pasteur Institute of Iran presented PII research strategies to develop vaccines against neglected diseases. Leishmaniasis is a major public health concern in tropical and subtropical regions and some parts of Iran, posing challenges at multiple levels, including patient care, healthcare systems, and the environment. She discussed how climate change is impacting the spread of sandflies, the insect vectors of the disease. Notably, research on this topic at the Institute Pasteur in Iran dates back to 1910. This institute has a long history of involvement in infectious disease control, including vaccine development. They currently focus on different diagnostic tests developing for leishmaniasis and are actively working on different platforms mainly live and live attenuated vaccines

Dr. Eui Ho Kim from the Institut Pasteur Korea gave a presentation on the immunological characterization of key vaccine platforms including protein subunit, viral vector and mRNA vaccines. He explained that different vaccine platforms induce distinct immune profiles and outcomes. In particular, mRNA vaccines trigger strong humoral and cellular immune responses that seem to wane relatively quickly. He also mentioned that further investigations into the molecular mechanisms of different vaccines would provide valuable insights into improving current vaccines. The third presentation, delivered by Dr. VY from the Institute Pasteur of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, focused on their expertise in vaccine clinical trials (including phase 1 to 4), from new investigated vaccine to licensed vaccine, covering not only operating vaccine but also biological products. She shared trial results of the institute and detailed approval procedures for trials and the clinical organization around this activity. The IP Ho Chi Minh Clinical Research Center composed by 10 experts and several investigators from satellite sites, is willing to develop and expend the clinical trials in IVD.

More about
– Research, Development, and Innovation strategic pillars of the Pasteur Network: https://pasteur-network.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Theory-of-change_PN_January_2024.pdf
– The members of the Pasteur Network Asia-Pacific Region: https://pasteur-network.org/en/members/

Following the January 2024 elections, the Pasteur Network welcomes the members of its new Board, comprising both newly elected and re-elected regional representatives alongside two externally nominated members.

The Board will steer the direction of our association over the next two years and is composed as follows:

President:
Vice-President:

Africa

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Euro-Mediterranean

External Members:

To have more information about the governance, please visit the association’s governance page.

Earlier this week, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s #GrandChallenges Annual Meeting took place in Dakar, Senegal, where the RFP “Catalyzing Equitable Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use to Improve Global Health” was launched jointly by several Grand Challenges partners, including the Pasteur Network. This RFP will enable LMICs to take the lead on designing AI solutions for improving community health and well-being.

This opportunity allows for the development of global health and development solutions in Low-and-Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) using AI-enabled large language models (LLMs). The purpose of the Equitable AI for Health in LMICs Call is to help advance the development of robust, locally relevant AI-empowered tools. These tools will expedite decision-making, policy pathways, and implementation by frontline health workers and policymakers.

The initiative is led by GC Brazil, GC India, GC Ethiopia, GC Senegal, GC South Africa, and GC Africa. Support for this initiative is provided by GC Canada, the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, the Pasteur Network, and the Gates Foundation.

More information:

Read the press release of the Bill & Melinda gates Foundation (10 octobre2023) “Gates Foundation Celebrates 20 Years of “Grand Challenges” With New Investments and a Call to Make R&D Breakthroughs Available More Quickly and Equitably”

Grand Challenges Annual Meeting : https://www.grandchallenges.org/annual-meeting

The Department of International Cooperation of the Principality of Monaco in partnership with the Institut Pasteur‘s International Affairs Department, is pleased to announce the offer 15,000 euros to fund a Pasteur Network project to be proposed by one member from the Network’s African Region.

As “Emerging Infectious Diseases” is one of the three strategic scientific areas of the Institut Pasteur, the funding will support a project related to the fight against infectious diseases. Any project on this theme is admissible. However, projects with a strong public health component will be given priority.

Application process

The COS-Pasteur Network is organizing its 2023 webinar series on ticks and tick-borne diseases. 6 webinars are planned throughout the year with speakers from the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, the Institut Pasteur de Bangui and the Institut Pasteur de Côte d’Ivoire, members of the Pasteur Network. These webinars are free but registration is required.

For more information:
Link to register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeRbzR7Hzmum5DVF7dTyrU7c-CMtUZ4hMuHh_oE0UHvQRmEhA/viewform

On January 19th, 2022,  the Institut Pasteur de Dakar, member of the Pasteur Network and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and announced a 10-year partnership in which CEPI will invest up to $50 million. This collaboration aims to advance equitable access to vaccines in Africa and contribute to the African Union’s goal of increasing African manufacturers’ share of vaccine supply to the continent to 60% by 2040.

CEPI’s investment will complement that of other major funders for the project MADIBA, including European Union, the European Investment Bank (EIB), the AFD – Agence Française de Développement, the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the IFC – International Finance Corporation, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, the German Government, and the Government of Senegal.

For more information:
CEPI’s news: https://cepi.net/news_cepi/cepi-and-institut-pasteur-de-dakar-announce-10-year-partnership-to-boost-manufacturing-of-affordable-vaccines-for-the-global-south/
Institut Pasteur de Dakar’s announcement: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7021806481087811584/?updateEntityUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_feedUpdate%3A%28V2%2Curn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7021806481087811584%29

Rebecca F. Grais, Executive Director of the Pasteur Network, has been appointed to WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE).

As a member of SAGE, Rebecca will be responsible for providing expert guidance and recommendations to WHO on global policies and strategies related to vaccines, technology, research and development, and the delivery of immunization and its linkages with other health interventions. This appointment is a testament to Rebecca’s expertise and commitment to advancing global health.

For more information:
https://www.who.int/groups/strategic-advisory-group-of-experts-on-immunization/members

Recently, three new directors have taken up their positions within the Network.

In Canada, David Chatenet has taken over as Director of the Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie Research Centre at the Institut National de Recherche Scientifique (INRS). 

In Brazil, following the appointment of Nísia Trindade Lima as head of the Ministry of Health, Mario Moreira, former Executive Director, became Acting President of Fiocruz.

In Korea, Youngmee Jee, has been appointed as the new head of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The former Administrative Executive Director, Byungkwon Lim, has taken over as CEO of the Pasteur Institute of Korea.

As the Pasteur Network continues to evolve, it regularly offers new positions to its members. The Network’s job offers are available and can be consulted on the career page.

In 1891, Louis Pasteur’s vision of a stateless science was made real with the birth of the Institut Pasteur in Ho Chi Minh City, the first international milestone of the Pasteur Network. A few days before the bicentenary of Louis Pasteur’s birth, Rebecca F. Grais, Amadou A. Sall and Stewart T. Cole, current representatives of the Pasteur Network, co-wrote a comment that traces the network’s main developments from its inception to the present day. The Pasteur Network is more than ever committed to this global vision of science by combining the diversity of all its members with Pasteur’s legacy in research and epidemic management.

Read this comment in the 400th volume of The Lancet.

For more information:
Science knows no country: fulfilling Louis Pasteur’s legacy
The Lancet, December 17th, 2022.
Rebecca F. Grais, Amadou A. Sall, Stewart T. Cole.
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(22)02369-8