award
Françoise Barré-Sinoussi awarded an honorary doctorate by Université de Montréal
On March 3, Université de Montréal (UdeM) awarded an honorary doctorate to Françoise Barré-Sinoussi for her remarkable career in virology and in particular her co-discovery of HIV, which earned her the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2008. The presentation ceremony was held on the Institut Pasteur campus and attended by a prestigious Canadian delegation.
François Barré-Sinoussi, a pioneer in HIV research and a key figure in the fight against HIV/AIDS, has developed close links on this topic with the scientific community in Montreal for several years now. She was appointed as an honorary researcher at the research center in the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM) in 2010 and has worked with several scientists at UdeM, including Nicolas Chomont, a researcher at CRCHUM and professor in the UdeM Faculty of Medicine, on the initiative Towards an HIV Cure, as well as Éric Cohen, a researcher at the Montreal Clinical Research Institute, in connection with the pan-Canadian CanCURE consortium.
The ceremony was attended by Daniel Jutras, Rector of UdeM, Valérie Amiraux, Vice-Rector of UdeM, Ekat Kritikou, Vice-Dean of UdeM, Patrick Cossette, Dean of the UdeM Faculty of Medicine, Julie Bruneau, researcher at CRCHUM, head of the Department of General Medicine at the CHUM and professor at the UdeM, Éric Cohen, Vice-Dean of the UdeM Faculty of Medicine, and Nicolas Chomont, a researcher at CRCHUM and professor in the UdeM Faculty of Medicine.
Several members of the Institut Pasteur management team were also in attendance to celebrate the occasion, including Patrick Trieu-Cuot, Vice-President Scientific Affairs, Monica Sala, Director of the Education Department, Odette Tomescu-Hatto, Vice-President International Affairs, Jean-Michel Molina, Medical Director, and Yanis M'Zali, Chief of Staff of the President.
A number of scientific colleagues also attended the ceremony, including Michaela Müller-Trutwin, Olivier Schwartz, Élisabeth Menu, Félix Rey, Christophe D’Enfert, Béatrice Jacquelin, Daniel Scott-Algara et Asier Saéz-Cirión. Asier Saéz-Cirión gave a tribute to Françoise Barré-Sinoussi at the event.
Jean-François Delfraissy, Chairman of the French National Consultative Ethics Committee, and Yazdan Yazdanpanah, Director of ANRS Emerging Infectious Diseases, were also at the ceremony.
"I am very touched and honored by this prestigious recognition, and I hope that it will symbolize a strengthening of links between Université de Montréal, our institute and the Pasteur Network."
Françoise Barré-Sinoussi, 2008 Nobel Prize laureate
"This honor recognizes Françoise Barré-Sinoussi's remarkable career, both her scientific achievements and her human-centered commitment to public health in France and worldwide. Over and above her discoveries, the event has highlighted how Françoise has helped foster lasting links with Université de Montréal and has been closely involved in training up many early career scientists at the Institut Pasteur and beyond. Françoise Barré-Sinoussi is a role model for the entire Institut Pasteur community, and I know that her work and achievements also continue to inspire many people outside the Institut Pasteur, especially young women starting out on a career in science and research. I am delighted that this event has provided us with an opportunity to reiterate how attached we all are to this wonderful member of the Institut Pasteur and the immense respect we have for her."
Yasmine Belkaid, President
"I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Université de Montréal for awarding Françoise Barré-Sinoussi this honorary doctorate, the highest honor that a university can award to any individual. Françoise fully deserves this recognition. During the ceremony, her human-focused values and her major impact on the scientific community working on HIV and people living with HIV were clearly demonstrated. Françoise has worked very closely with the researchers in Montreal and we are pleased that these links continue to be as strong as ever."
Michaela Müller-Trutwin, Head of the HIV, Inflammation and Persistence Unit
"So happy to have attended this special ceremony organized by Université de Montréal, which shone a light on Françoise, a truly inspiring personality, not only in innovation and scientific advancement, but also in her humanist and inclusive approach to research. I am honored to have been given the floor to show how this vision, which puts people at the heart of research, paved the way for considerable progress that today allows us to dream of a cure for HIV/AIDS in a not-too-distant future."
Asier Saéz-Cirión, Head of the Viral Reservoirs and Immune Control five-year unit
Read the article written by Université de Montréal (in French)