New "Pasteur International" website
January 28, 2010
As part of its continuing commitment to health and research in the international arena, the Institut Pasteur launches its new “Pasteur International” website. The site will highlight both the actions of the Institut Pasteur around the world and the work of the Institut Pasteur International Network, which includes some thirty institutes on every continent.

The website is designed to share information about scientific advances and foment collaboration between researchers worldwide. Members of the International Network can find minutes from regional meetings, dates of upcoming scientific conferences and links to the websites of fellow member institutes, as well information about major international projects, partnerships and collaborations, and other useful tools.
http://www.pasteur-international.org.

Professor Malik Peiris, Dr Beatrice Nal and Ms Joanne Lo will present their results at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases in Singapore on 8-11 December, 2009.
December 08, 2009
The Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, the Pediatric Dengue Vaccine Initiative and Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases are joining forces to advance the research agenda to develop new tools to treat, prevent and control emerging infectious diseases. As part of this effort, they jointly sponsor this 4 day meeting that will combine symposia on emerging infectious diseases and infectious disease modeling with the 4th Asia Dengue Research Network Meeting. The venue will be the new Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School campus in Singapore. The program will include invited presentation by global leaders in infectious diseases as well as presentations on the latest dengue research results.
Malik Peiris will deliver a lecture entitled "Pathogenesis of influenza" at Inaugural Symposium of the Duke-NUS Program In Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Two posters will be presented in the Dengue Pathogenesis session: "Identification of Cellular Factors Involved in Egress of Dengue Virus Using a Cell Line that Stably Expresses Dengue Recombinant Subviral Particles", by Beatrice Nal and "Development of Dengue Recombinant Subviral Particles as a Tool to Study Dengue Virus Egress", by Joanne Lo.
More details...

2nd HKU-Pasteur Cell Biology Course - March 18 - April 01, 2009, HKU-Pasteur Research Centre, Hong Kong.
November 09, 2009
Cell Biology is at the heart of all aspects of biological science from genomics to infectious disease and therefore strengthening this area of research in China and the Asia region will have a broad impact.
The 2nd HKU-PASTEUR CELL BIOLOGY COURSE will provide an overview of fundamental aspects of cellular organization with special attention to molecular mechanisms of infection and cell division.
The course will discuss regulation of cellular functions through several examples: cell polarization, vesicular transport and trafficking, cytoskeletal dynamics, cell cycle, mitosis, cellular transformation and
invasion.
Practical sessions will focus on mechanisms of pathogens and invasion, and on cell division using advanced imaging techniques. Journal Clubs will train participants to critically analyze scientific papers, to confront ideas and experimental evidence, and improve their oral presentation skills.
For postgraduate students, postdoctoral fellows and young investigators. Preference will be given to MPhil and PhD candidates.
Candidates are invited to download course and travel grant application forms.
There are no registration fees.
Deadline for application: 31 December 2009
More details...

Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme 2010/11: there is still time to apply for RGC PhD fellowships and pursue a PhD degree programmes in Hong Kong's institutions!
November 06, 2009
The Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC) has released the criteria of the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme which aims to attract the outstanding students in the world to pursue their PhD degree programmes in Hong Kong's institutions including the University of Hong Kong. 135 PhD Fellowships will be awarded for the 2010/11 academic year.
The Fellowship provides a monthly stipend of HK$20,000 (approximately US$2,600) and a conference and research-related travel allowance of HK$10,000 (approximately US$1,300) per year for a period of three years.
For awardees who need more than three years to complete the PhD degree, additional support may be provided by the chosen institutions. For details, please contact the institutions concerned directly.
Registration process is entirely online and the deadline is the 1st December 2009.
For more information about this programme, please click here.

HKU-PRC to host the 2010 meeting of the Board of Directors of the International Network of Pasteur Institutes
October 30, 2009
The 42nd meeting of the Board of Directors of the International Network of Pasteur Institutes was hosted by Fiocruz in Rio de Janeiro, October 19-20, 2009.  The agenda included workshops of the regional groups, updates on strategic initiatives and discussion on the new Cooperation Agreement that will be undersigned by all members.  The Board decided that HKU-Pasteur Research Centre will organize the next meeting in November/December 2010 in Hong Kong. We will be soon advertising on this event from our website.

Symposium "Challenges of biomedical science at the beginning of the XXIth century", October 20-22, 2009, Fiocruz and Institut Pasteur, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
October 30, 2009
Within the framework of the year of France in Brazil, a French-Brazilian scientific symposium "Challenges of biomedical science at the beginning of the XXIth century" was organized by Fiocruz and Institut Pasteur in Rio de Janeiro on October 20-22, 2009. French and Brazilian scientists of various research institutions from both countries discussed the contributions of fundamental and translational research to public health policies.  Dr Roberto Bruzzone gave a talk on "Virus-host cell interactions: from cell biology to diagnostic".

2nd Pasteur-Asia Immunology Course (MMPH6174) - Innate immunity and its signaling mechanisms, November 19 - December 2, 2009, HKU-Pasteur Research Centre, Hong Kong.
October 25, 2009
The 2nd HKU – Pasteur Immunology Course (MMPH6174) will focus on innate immunity and its signaling mechanisms, aiming to provide an in-depth coverage of this area.
The course will begin by providing a comprehensive overview of modern immunology, followed by bibliographical coverage of the innate immunity response in viral, as well as in parasitic and bacterial infections. A panel of leading international scientists will deliver topical seminars on specialized areas.
Date: November 19 - December 2, 2009
More details...

SARS virus discovered in bats in Brazil
August 04, 2009 - Source: http://www.promedmail.org
Hematophagous bats, also known as "vampire bats" are carriers of a virus that causes diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Brazilian researchers reported. The Research Support Foundation of the State of Sao Paulo (FAPESP), which funded the project, announced today [3 Aug 2009] that the work of the University of Sao Paulo (USP) identified the presence of such viruses in vampire bats (_Desmodus rotundus_). This type of bat, which feeds on blood of animals and can bite humans, in addition to transmitting diseases such as rabies, can also be a vector for transmitting the diseases caused by coronaviruses. [Coronaviruses] can cause intestinal problems, respiratory, and even the cerebral problems in birds and mammals, including humans.
This virus became [notorious] in 2003, when it was discovered that it was the virus responsible for SARS {Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), a disease discovered in some Asian countries and that intrigued scientists for a long time. According to a Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnology of the USP [University of Sao Paulo] study on molecular evolution, the vampire bats were the hosts in which the coronavirus emerged for the 1st time. "The studies are still in the initial phase, but we can expect that in the future that research will bring startling discoveries on coronaviruses in vampire bats," noted the specialist Paulo Eduardo Brandao, USP researcher and one of those responsible for the project.
The doctor admitted that there are still no concrete results on the type of disease that the coronavirus present in the body of the bats is able to produce in other mammals. Until now, genetic studies indicate that the virus is very similar to the [coronavirus] carried by bovines and to the virus that causes colds in humans. "We still do not have data on diseases that [the coronavirus] could cause in animals or humans, but it is quite likely that it is not pathogenic for bats, which would just be healthy hosts for these viruses," said the epidemiologist.
The study was conducted in collaboration with the Pasteur Institute of Sao Paulo, which assisted in the capture and identification of some specimens of hematophagous [vampire] bats and insectivorous bats. The viruses were found in samples from organs such as lung, liver, and intestines of the bats, said Brandao, a member of the international network of researchers, "Coronavirus Research Group."
"The genetic material of these samples was chemically purified and we used a special technique to amplify a fragment of the genome of the coronavirus," he added. The USP researchers are trying to isolate the virus in cell cultures in the laboratory in order to decipher its genetic sequence and establish which diseases it can cause.

Molecular Detection of Swine Influenza H1N1 - Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong.
May 21, 2009
Researchers at HKU and HKU-Pasteur Research Centre have developed a new RT-PCR assays for the rapid detection of cases of the newly emergent H1N1 virus. This techinque using conventional agarose gel electrophoretic separation for identification of PCR products does not require expensive rapid PCR equipment and could be used in laboratories worldwide. These assays are described in Clinical Chemistry journal.
Download the article here.

The Institut Pasteur and the U.S. CDC sign a Memorandum of Understanding to promote global public health, WHO, Geneva, Switzerland
May 27, 2009
The Institut Pasteur and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the occasion of the Assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO), in Geneva, last week. The agreement unites the efforts of these two organizations – both leaders in the field of global public health – by creating a framework for shared and lasting actions to benefit public health and health security at the international level.
The Memorandum of Understanding signed* by the Institut Pasteur and the U.S. CDC will reinforce the exchange of information and the realization of collaborative actions around the globe, notably with regard to initiatives supported by the WHO aiming to improve global health security and fight infectious disease. The objective is to optimize the response of both institutions by enhanced coordination, particularly during emergency situations such as the outbreak of new epidemics. The accord helps strengthen the ongoing exchange and circulation of information between these two institutions.
The leadership of the Institut Pasteur and the U.S. CDC hope furthermore to unite their efforts to implement the International Health Regulations (IHR) through a mutually agreed-upon approach. As a result, the two institutions will improve their ability to work closely with international bodies and provide technical support to countries in need, particularly in the areas of evaluation of needs for surveillance programs and the implementation of action plans.
The Institut Pasteur and the CDC also expect to reap long-term benefits by providing an improved response to emerging challenges in the field of international public health.

* The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Alice Dautry, president of the Institut Pasteur, and Stephen B. Blount, director of the Coordinating Office for Global Health at the CDC, in the presence of Yves Charpak, director of International Affairs at the Institut Pasteur, and representatives of WHO led by Guénaël Rodier, director in charge of International Health Regulations (IHR) at WHO.

Scientific Report 2008 of the Institut Pasteur International Network
May 19, 2009
The first ever Scientific Report of the Institut Pasteur International Network is now available in English and French. This report presents the public health, research and training activities of the insitutes belonging to the Institut Pasteur International Network (IPIN), as well as our collaborations at the regional and international level. It reflects the important work being done by all members of the IPIN.
In addition, a pamphlet presenting the RIIP: its members, its activities and the work in partnership that is its principal asset, is also available.
PDF is available here.

Molecular Detection of Swine Influenza H1N1 - Institut Pasteur Paris, France.
May 19, 2009
Researchers at the National Influenza Centre in Institut Pasteur Paris have developed a 12-hour swine influenza H1N1 detection test. Based on RT-PCR (Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction) technology targeting the H1 gene this sensible assay allows a faster detection of cases of the newly emergent H1N1 virus compared to viral genome sequencing. Institut Pasteur has made it available to all the French refecence laboratories and to the Institut Pasteur International Network.

Bioinformatics and Comparative Genome Analysis course- August 16-29, 2009, HKU-Pasteur Research Centre and Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, Hong Kong.
March 16, 2009
Aim of the course: The main objectives of the course are to familiarize young scientists (Biologists/Computer Scientists/Mathematicians) with bioinformatics and genome data analysis skills and to encourage multi-disciplinarity by introducing:
1. advanced fundamental algorithms in bioinformatics,
2. their application in genome analyses,
3. and recent knowledge acquired from genomes studies and perspectives.
The course is aimed for motivated Ph.D and Post-doctoral students, as well as young assistant professors and junior scientists in Public Institutions particularly from Asia, Africa and South Ameria, with background in Mathematics, Statistics, Biology or Computing, who are involved in Bioinformatics and Genomes studies.
Deadline for application: April 15, 2009.
More details...

6th HKU-Pasteur Virology Course - Neurotropic Viruses - July 7-24, 2009, HKU-Pasteur Research Centre, Hong Kong.
March 16, 2009
The 6th HKU-Pasteur Virology course will focus on “Neutropic Viruses”. Infectious diseases of the nervous system in the developing world have been relatively neglected. This is paradoxical because neurotropic pathogens are common and contribute significantly to human suffering and disease burden in these regions. To give some examples, viral encephalitis is emerging or re-emerging as an important cause of human disease due to increased geographic range (e.g. West Nile virus, Japanese encephalitis virus) or new spread of viruses from animal reservoirs into human populations (e.g. Nipah and Hendra viruses). Changes in vector populations, in human association with reservoir hosts and appearance of new viral variants that are more virulent for humans or more efficiently transmitted are associated with emerging viruses, half of which cause serious neurologic diseases. There is an urgent need for continued surveillance and identification of viruses in vertebrate and invertebrate hosts to anticipate introduction and spread of new and old agents. The course will provide an introduction to basic neurobiology and will review mechanisms of entry into the CNS, of neuronal damage, the immune response to virus infection and prevention of CNS infection. The features of specific pathogens will be discussed in depth by leading scientists covering aspects of clinical epidemiology, animal models and mechanisms of pathogenesis.
Deadline for application: April 30, 2009.
More details...

A new candidate vaccine against avian flu - Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong.
March 1st, 2009
Researchers at HKU and NIH have developed in a collaborative project a multivalent vaccine against H5N1 by piggy-backing it on the vaccinia virus vector. The HKU team included Leo Poon and Connie Leung (Department of Microbiology), John Nicholls (Department of Pathology) and Malik Peiris (Department of Microbiology and Scientific Director of HKU-PRC) who was one of the senior authors of the study supported through the Area of Excellence program on the “Control of pandemic and inter-pandemic influenza” funded by the University Grants Council of Hong Kong.
The authors adopted a strategy based on the use of a “live delivery vector, the incorporation of a repertoire of antigenic targets to achieve broad cross protection, and the incorporation of a molecular adjuvant to enhance the breadth and durability of vaccine-induced immune responses.” (Vaccinia virus-based multivalent H5N1 avian influenza vaccines adjuvanted with IL-15 confer sterile cross-clade protection in mice. J Immunol. 2009 Mar 1;182(5):3063-71). This vaccine induced cross-neutralizing antibodies as well as robust cellular immune responses in vaccinated mice and conferred sterile cross-protection with 100% efficacy against H5N1 viruses of different clades. Although it remains to be seen whether the vaccine will work also in humans, this strategy may also allow production of a cheap and stable vaccine that would be more easily available to developing countries. For more details, read the press release of the LKS Faculty of Medicine.

8th Asia Pacific Congress on Medical Virology, VIral Diseases: New Challenges - New Solutions, February 26-28, 2009, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
February 19, 2009
The University of Hong Kong Asia has been at the epicentre of emerging viral diseases during the last decade, with enterovirus 71, Nipah, SARS, avian flu and chikungunya being some recent examples. he 8th Asia Pacific Congress on Medical Virology, which will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on Feb 26-28, 2009, will provide a forum to discuss some of these challenges. This 8th edition is organized by the Hong Kong Society for Microbiology and Infection under the auspices of The Asia Pacific Society of Medical Virology. The congress is held in the region once every three years and benefits the Asia Pacific Society for Medical Virology (APSMV) members who are mainly from developing countries since 1988. Previous meetings have been held in Singapore, Bangkok, Bali, Beijing, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur and New Delhi.

Pr Malik Peiris, Scientific Director of HKU-PRC is the Congress Chairman for the Organization Committee.
Dr Pei Gang Wang will present the Centre's work on "Characterization od dengue 1 viral like particle ant its intracellular trafficking" (Oral Presentation, Abstract #86, Vector Borne Diseases, Presentation 4, Feb 28 Feb).
Dr François Kien wil present the Centre's work on "Definition of the cellular interactomes of SARS-CoV and the highly pathogenic Influenza H5N1 virus: identification of human cellular regulators of viral entry, assembly and egress" (Poster, Abstract #052, Influenza & Other Respiratory Viruses, Feb 26, 2009).
Pr Vincent Deubel, Director of Institut Pasteur Shanghai - Chinese Academy of Sciences and Dr Philippe Buchy, Head of molecular virology lab at Institut Pasteur Cambodia are among the invited speakers.

The scientific programme is available here.

Avian Flu : Social and Anthropological Perspectives
February 9, 2009
Sponsors: Area of Excellence for Influenza – HKU-Pasteur Research Centre – Fyssen Foundation – French Centre for Research on Contemporary China (CEFC).
Date: February 23-24, 2009.
Venue: Seminar Room 7, LG1/F, Laboratory Block, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Scientific description of the conference: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza is an emerging infectious disease currently active in the animal reservoir and causing hundreds of human deaths in many countries, allowing to fear a worldwide pandemic. Since 1997, networks of surveillance and measures of control have been set up to prevent the spread of this disease, profoundly transforming the economy and public health infrastructures of these countries. The goal of this conference is to discuss the social aspects of these networks and measures, and to open perspectives for the future at an international level. This conference will gather microbiologists, social anthropologists and public health officials to study the impacts of Avian Flu surveillance in different parts of the world (Asia, Europe, Africa, America) and at different stages of the spread of the virus (from the animals to the humans). Hong Kong being at the door of the epicentre of the disease in 1997 and a sentinel for watching its evolution since then, it is the adequate place to gather experts in animal health, human health and social issues in order to assess the signification of ten years of mobilization against Avian Flu. This conference will open the way for an anthropological analysis of Avian Flu, integrating all the aspects of this global phenomenon : environmental, biological, social and psychological.

Organizer: KECK Frédéric, HKU-PRC and CEFC
All are welcome. For more information, please contact Frédéric KECK (f.keck@cegetel.net)
Programme available here.

Asia - Pacific Regional Directors’ Meeting - December 15-16, 2008 - Vientiane, Laos.
January 07, 2009
The Directors of the 9 institutes of the Pasteur International Network in the Asia-Pacific region gathered in Vientiane (Laos) for a 2-day workshop (December 15-16, 2008), together with Prof. Alice Dautry, Director General of Institut Pasteur, and Dr. Yves Charpak, Director for International Affairs of Institut Pasteur and also with several scientists from the institutes and other organizations, including WHO, Wellcome Trust, Asian Development Bank, Agence Francaise du Développement, CDC, IFRD.

The meeting allowed the discussion of several regional programs that are currently implemented and laid the foundation for stronger interactions between networks in research and public health.  The workshop was hosted by the newly created Institut Pasteur-Laos, which is under construction.
Participants, Minutes...

1st Pasteur-Asia Cell Biology Course - Molecular mechanisms of infection - March 30 - April 10, 2008, HKU-Pasteur Research Centre, Hong Kong.
December 15, 2008
The 1st PASTEUR – ASIA CELL BIOLOGY COURSE will provide an overview of the cellular organization with special attention to molecular mechanisms of infection.
Membrane dynamics, specialization of sub-cellular domains and organelles, protein sorting, signal transduction events, are crucial for cell function. Definition of molecular determinants responsible for sub-cellular mechanisms helps the understanding of the biology of the cell in normal and disease-related situations. The course will discuss regulation of cellular functions through several examples: cell polarization, cell junctions and adhesion, cell cycle, cytoskeleton, vesicular trafficking, nuclear organization, gene regulation, RNA silencing and signaling.
There will be a focus on pathogens and infection with topics including: cell biology of shigella and listeria infections and spreading of prions. In addition, hand-on practical sessions will be incorporated into the course to illustrate some most current techniques in cell biology research.
As for all courses organized at HKU-PRC, specific goals are to:* Train in a “Master class” setting outstanding Asian students at the Master/MPhil and early PhD level.
* Provide state of the art lectures and practical courses to a group of highly selected students.
Promote active student participation through seminars, round-tables.
* Intensify human and scientific links between Research Institutes in China and the South-East Asian region with the Institut Pasteur International Network, HKU-Pasteur Research Centre, as well as with the Institut Pasteur, Paris.
Deadline for application: 17th January 2009 for non-Hong Kong residents and 17th February 2009 for Hong Kong residents.
More details...

The Pasteur - Paris University International Doctoral Program
An international PhD program in Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Academic year 2009-2010, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
Novembre 2008
In 2009, the Institut Pasteur, the leading biomedical research institute founded by Louis Pasteur in 1888 and located in central Paris (France), will inaugurate a new international PhD program in collaboration with several major Paris universities for students holding a Master degree (or equivalent) in Science, Medicine or related fields from a university outside of France.
The Pasteur – Paris University Doctoral Program offers cutting edge training in a large variety of topics including Molecular and Cellular Biology, Genetics, Immunology, Microbiology, Genomics, Bioinformatics, Structural Biology, Enzymology and Metabolism, Biological Chemistry, Virology, Parasitology, Medical Mycology, Epidemiology, Infectiology, Imaging, Neurosciences, Developmental Biology and Systems Biology.
Students will conduct their research in one of the 120 laboratories of the Institut Pasteur. They will be immersed in an exciting, dynamic and interactive research environment that includes access to a large variety of core facilities with state-of-the art equipment. Students will extend their knowledge by attending specialized courses and will benefit from a vast seminar program that attracts major speakers from all over the world. At the end of their studies (typically three years), students will defend their PhD according to European guidelines. The Institut Pasteur and the affiliated university will jointly award the degree. Candidates will be selected on a competitive basis.
Students will receive a stipend to cover their living expenses for the duration of their studies and will be eligible for social benefits, including medical coverage, available to all students registered at a French University. Accommodation in student residences will also be available.
The Institut Pasteur has 10 research departments covering key major disciplines. Candidates are encouraged to contact head of departments or of groups within departments before applying. Applicants should submit their complete CV, a letter of motivation (including the groups in which they would like to work and the reasons for their choice) and the names of two or more referees (usually course directors or research supervisors) by E-mail to phd@pasteur.fr by December 31, 2008.
All applications will be acknowledged. Short-listed candidates will be called for interview and successful candidates will be notified by March 31, 2009.
Download the flyer.
Download the application form.

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2008 awarded to Professors Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier.
October 6, 2008
The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for 2008 to Professors Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier for their discovery of the human immunodeficiency (AIDS) virus in 1983 at the Institut Pasteur, and to Prof. Harald zur Hausen for his discovery of the human papillomavirus, which is responsible for cervical cancer.
Read Nobel Foundation's press release.
Read Institut Pasteur's press release.

1st Pasteur-Asia Immunology Course (MMPH6174) - Innate immunity and its signaling mechanisms, October 23-November 5, 2008, HKU-Pasteur Research Centre, Hong Kong.
July 16, 2008
The Dean, on the behalf of the Board of the Medical Faculty has formally approved that the Pasteur-Asia Immunology (MMPH6174) be included in the coursework curriculum for Research Postgraduate studies effective from the academic year 2008/09.
Topic: Innate immunity and its signaling mechanisms
Date: October 23- November 5, 2008
Deadline for application: 15th September 2008 for Non-Hong Kong residents and 30th September 2008 for students from HKU and other Hong Kong universities.
More details...

Exposition: From the Plague to New Emerging Diseases: A Chronicle of Pasteurian Research in Hong Kong.
Date:28 May - 14 July 2008
Time:9:30 am - 6:00 pm (Mon - Sat) - 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm (Sun) - Closed on University and public holidays
Venue: The University Museum and Art Gallery, the University of Hong Kong, 94 Bonham Road, Hong Kong
Free admission.

An all-ages educational exhibition celebrating the history of lifesaving scientific medical exchange between France and Hong Kong, in conjunction with the 120th anniversary of the Institut Pasteur.
In June 1894, Alexander Yersin, who had been sent to Hong Kong at the request of the Institut Pasteur and the French Government, identified and isolated the bacillus of Bubonic Plague, one of the deadliest diseases in human history. This great discovery, made from an ill-equipped laboratory in a straw hut in Hong Kong’s Kennedy Town, paved the way for sera and vaccines against this disease.
Yersin’s remarkable story is just one of many in the 120-year history of Louis Pasteur’s Institut Pasteur (IP). Louis and his successors have built a network of thirty international research centres that play a major role in the global effort to identify, contain, and cure infectious diseases in Asia and all over the world.
A multimedia exhibition telling the story of Yersin and his discovery, as well as the continuing work of the IP Network, HKU-PRC and the University of Hong Kong Faculty of Medicine, will be on display at the HKU Museum and Art Gallery. Open to the public, this fascinating and engaging look at the past and future scientific collaboration between France and Hong Kong offers entertainment and invaluable awareness to members of the community of all ages.

Pr M. Peiris awarded by Academy of Sciences Malaysia.
May 20, 2008
The Academy of Sciences Malaysia has decided to confer the Mahathir Science Award to Pr. Malik PEIRIS in recognition of his discovery of the aetiological agent causing SARS leading to the understanding of pathogenesis and epidemiology of the disease in 2003.
This prize is Malaysia's most prestigious Science Award for tropical sciences and was launched in August 2004 in honor of the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr Mahathir, a man of science whose contributions to science and technology advancement are hailed not only in Malaysia but internationally.
Pr Peiris has generously donated the award to the HKU – Pasteur Research Centre.

5th Pasteur-Asia Virology Course - Virus and Cancer; Influenza, July 7-25, 2008, HKU-Pasteur Research Centre, Hong Kong.
Apr 20, 2008
The 5th PASTEUR-ASIA VIROLOGY COURSE will focus on two major areas that are of major concern for public health in Asia and worldwide: 1) Viruses and cancer ; 2) Influenza. The course will include a survey of the epidemiology, the molecular and cellular biology of Epstein-Barr, hepatitis B and C, human T lymphotropic, papilloma and influenza viruses, antiviral drugs and a special session with the participation of leading scientists who will address our current gaps in knowledge.
Read more...

Third AREVA-Pasteur Forum on Mosquito- and Tick-Borne Viruses and thier Environment, June 12-14, 2008, Institut Pasteur Shanghai - Chinese Academy of Sciences, China.
Apr 20, 2008
Arthropod-borne viruses (Arboviruses) are dangerous pathogens for animal and humans which may cause acute diseases with high burden for human activities.In 30 years, knowledge on arboviral biology, host-pathogen interaction, host responses, innate immunity, and host genetic susceptibility has made invaluable progress, opening new avenues for innovation on virus structure and morphogenesis, viral protein function, mechanisms of viral- and immuno-pathogenesis, virus-vector interactions, vaccine, and drug discovery.
The scientific programme will largely cover complementary aspects including:
I. Emergence and control of arboviruses (factors, virus evolution, climate change, epidemiology
II. Virus biology (structure, entry, replication, morphogenesis….)
III. Virus-host interaction (receptors, protein-protein interaction, arthropod biology and virus persistence…)
IV. Animal and ex-vivo models and pathogenesis (knock-out mice, hamsters, vascular permeability…)
V. Immune response and protection (signalization, innate immunity, acquired immunity, cross-protection, vaccine…)
VI. Anti-viral strategies (drug discovery, serotherapy…).
More information available here:

Infectious Diseases of the Nervous System: Pathogenesis and Worldwide Impact, September 10-13, 2008, Institut Pasteur Paris.
Feb 20, 2008
The conference will deal with most major neurotropic parasites, bacteria and viruses causing devastating diseases of the nervous system. Registration is now open. Travel fellowships are available and abstract submission will open March 1st, 2008. Please visit the conference website and join us in Paris.

120th Anniversary of Institut Pasteur, 2008, Institut Pasteur of Paris, France.
Jan 14, 2008
The 120th anniversary of the foundation of the Institut Pasteur will take place in 2008. To highlight this celebration, several events will be held at Institut Pasteur, Paris throughout the year:
* Metchnikoff's Legacy in 2008 (April 28-30, 2008)
* 25 Years of HIV (May 19-21, 2008)
* Research on Infectious Diseases: a Global Challenge (June 26-27, 2008) organized by the Institut Pasteur International Network
* Gala Dinner (September 17, 2008)
* 2nd Pasteurdon (September, 2008)
* 7th Louis Pasteur Conference. Understanding and Controlling Infectious Diseases: an Agenda for the 21st Century (November 11-13, 2008)
* Global Public Health: a Major Challenge for the World Sustainable Development (Novembre 14, 2008)
* Public Open Days (November 22-23, 2008)
Read more...

40th Council of the Directors of the International Network of Institut Pasteur, December 13-14, 2007, Institut Pasteur of Paris, France.
Nov 27, 2007
The next Council of the Directors of the International Network will take place in Paris on December 13-14, 2007. On the agenda: objectives and goals of Public Health activities, partnership with cooperation agencies, communication and image of the network.