Founded in 1887, the Institut Pasteur is a world-leading biomedical research institution. It was here, in 1983, that the isolation of HIV-1 first took place, and scientists at IP have led seminal advances in other major diseases including diphtheria, tetanus, TB and yellow fever.  Since 1908, ten IP scientists have received Nobel Prizes for medicine and physiology. The IP International Network (Réseau International des Instituts Pasteur) links 33 institutions across 26 countries to address the most pressing public health challenges within a framework of sustainable development. IP also offers over 40 courses at a variety of levels, including the course on medical mycology.

Colleagues at Institut Pasteur play a significant role in the scientific sub-studies for AMBITION (Work Package 3) and in the training and capacity building (Work Package 5). They will also host the AMBITION PhD student in their mycology lab for three six-month periods from 2018-2020.

Institut Pasteur AMBITION Team

Prof. Olivier Lortholary MD, PhD: Senior Investigator

I hold several posts here in Paris, including Deputy Director of the French National Reference Centre for Invasive Mycoses and Antifungals, Co-director of the Medical Mycology course, Professor of Medicine at Paris-Descartes University and Head of the Necker-Pasteur Centre for Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine (Necker side). My principal research interests centre around translational research in medical mycology, in particular Cryptococcus neoformans and cryptococcal meningitis, and developing diagnostic and therapeutic innovations in invasive fungal infections.

I participate in the AMBITION TMG and in short-course training in medical mycology. I also provide mentorship and support to our African colleagues undertaking sub-studies from patient samples.

Prof. Françoise Dromer, MD, PhD: Senior Investigator

I lead the Molecular Mycology Unit at IP, am Head of the French National Reference Centre for Invasive Mycoses and Antifungals, and am Co-Director of IP’s Medical Mycology course. I have been an elected Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology since 2006. My research combines the study of Cryptococcus neoformans/host interactions and translational research based on our long-term (>31 years) surveillance programme/clinical studies on cryptococcosis in France with one objective: to improve the prognosis of cryptococcosis. I recently collaborated with BioSynex regarding the development of a new LFA test that will be evaluated in AMBITION.

I support colleagues working on the scientific sub-studies (Work Package 3) and in the laboratory supervision of the AMBITION PhD student.

Dr. Timothée Boyer Chammard, MD: Clinical Advisor

I am a clinical specialist. I studied Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine in Paris, where I undertook my medical residency. From 2015-2017, I held a senior clinical position in the Department of Infectious Diseases and Internal Medicine in Guadeloupe, French West Indies. In addition to HIV, my research interests include arboviruses and tropical medicine. I assist Olivier with clinical mycology training, and work closely with Dr. David Lawrence to support our African collaborators, in particular at the University of Zimbabwe.

Dr. Alexandre Alanio, MD, PhD: Investigator

I currently work at John Hopkins University, Baltimore, but remain involved in AMBITION, in particular supporting Tshepiso Mbangiwa, our PhD student.

My research interests focus on dormancy and metabolism in fungi, in particular in Cryptococcus neoformans and in the pathophysiology of invasive fungal infections. My research aims to bridge medical mycology and basic research on the pathophysiology of invasive fungal infections, and to translate new biological tools into diagnostic tests for fungal and parasitic infections (“bench to bedside”). I am working actively on the development of new molecular diagnostic tools for pneumocystis, histoplasmosis, mucormycosis, cryptococcosis, aspergillosis, and other mould infections.