The Pasteur Institute and Global Health

One Health Newsletter: Volume 11 Issue 2

Figure 1. Book Hardcover (Source: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2018): 1900 building of the Pasteur Institute, 28 Rue du Docteur Roux, 75015 Paris, France.

A review of “The Story of the Pasteur Institute and Its Contributions to Global Health" (by Marie-Hélène Marchand, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2018), by Jean-Paul Gonzalez (OHNL Editorial board).

Dr. Marie-Hélène Marchand has been the General Secretary of the Pasteur Institute for over 25 years. Her passion for the institution led her to write the history of an innovative and world-changing institution in the wide domain of medical research. This book, the first of this genre to be written in the English language, depicts the history of the Pasteur Institute as a place of intense, historical research and discovery for the good of humankind. Indeed, a large part of the literary works produced in the name of "Pasteur" focus mainly on the life and work of the founders, Louis Pasteur and his collaborators. The story of the Pasteur Institute can be scarcely found in French literature.

This story belongs to all researchers, students, and partners in the House of Pasteur. It is in the walls of the buildings, set along the Dr. Roux Street in the heart of Paris, where many scientists from all continents came to learn and embrace this unique Pasteurian spirit (Figure 1).

Despite the fame of Louis Pasteur, few people know how the Institute itself was founded in 1887. Following the establishment of the institute, remarkable breakthroughs in biomedicine were made by pioneers in the field, including fundamentals of immunology, the emergence of molecular biology and genomics, and the discovery of new pathogens. These innovations, discoveries, and inventions have kept the Pasteur Institute at the forefront of the fight for health, improving prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, cancers, autism, and others.

This private foundation, respected by the international scientific community, confirmed the vision of its founders, creating a Pasteurian community that has spread to the whole world. Today, there are 33 Pasteur Institutes spread among five continents, actively supported by renowned or anonymous donors, and the states that host them.

Dr. Marchand presents the captivating story of a unique institution, which has had a worldwide influence in the progress of biomedicine. Marchand offers personal insights into the Pasteur Institute, those who made it, and those who perpetuate it today. This book, is in the spirit of Louis Pasteur, who affirmed without limits "…knowledge is the heritage of humanity".

With the permission of the author MH Marchand and Cambridge Scholars Publishing (ISBN 978-1-5275-1173-6)

 

See additional One Health reference materials:

Marchand, M. (2018). The story of the pasteur institute and its contributions to global health. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Pasteur, Louis. “Inaugural address of the Pasteur Institute.” 14 November 1888, Pasteur Institute, Paris, France. Inaugural speech.

Author

Jean-Paul Gonzalez

Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Division of Biomedical Graduate Research Organization
School of Medicine, Georgetown University

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