Co-directed by Prof. Marco Vignuzzi, Head of the Viral Populations and Pathogenesis Unit at the Institut Pasteur and Professor Ben tenOever, Director of the Virus Engineering Center for Therapeutics and Research at Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine (New-York), this Pasteur International Joint Unit will develop a program combining the study of the natural evolution of viruses with synthetic biology to understand and better combat emerging infectious diseases.
"The lab that I run is expert in predicting the evolution of viruses. Our colleagues at Mount Sinai are specialists in the artificial manipulation of viruses. We will pool our know-how to try to inhibit or modify the evolution of viruses so that it is less favorable to their survival "explains Marco Vignuzzi.
Signed last September in New York, the agreement to create the joint unit is bringing together two research institutions with common missions. It includes exchanges of young researchers.
Built around projects selected for their scientific quality, the Pasteur International Joint Units are a privileged instrument for the strengthening of international cooperation. This new creation brings to 5 the number of international joint units created since 2016 including 3 within the Institut Pasteur International Network.
