Collaborative Efforts Highlighted at the Pasteur Network Africa Regional Meeting

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 : 

• Language Models in Biology: Led by Xavier Berthet from the Institut Pasteur de Dakar, this session explored the application of large language models in biological research, highlighting innovative methodologies and their potential impact on future studies. The way to use collected data and more specifically how to standardize them to build models was discussed. 
• Climate Change and Infectious Diseases: Emmanuel Nakouné from the Institut Pasteur de Bangui discussed the establishment of observatories to monitor the health impacts of climate change, emphasizing how climate factors contribute to the spread of infectious diseases and the need for adaptive strategies. He highlighted the collective efforts of various members in developing a joint project. 
• Antimicrobial Resistance: Sara Eyangoh from the Centre Pasteur in Cameroun addressed the growing issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by presenting regional research findings and discussing public health behavior change programs to combat AMR effectively. The representatives underscored the regional specificities in the fight against AMR. 

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/