Fondation de France and donor-advised funds honor 14 researchers for their innovative work

23 march 2022

Every year, Fondation de France and 130 donor-advised funds support numerous medical research projects. In 2021, they committed close to 30 million euros. A look at a few of these innovative projects.

On March 23, Fondation de France celebrated 14 award-winning fundamental and applied research projects in a variety of fields including oncology, ophthalmology, mental illness and the impact of the environment on health.

The challenge: to ensure that these advances lead to new therapeutic approaches that make it possible to better anticipate, diagnose and care for people with these pathologies.

“Since it was founded over 50 years ago, Fondation de France has supported medical research to better understand, anticipate and treat illness. Whether it’s the fight against cancer, neurodegenerative disorders like Huntington’s or Alzheimer’s, or infectious diseases, our approach is based on two basic ideas: increasing knowledge and investing in the long-term to advance medical research. This is why, with our two Fondation de France prizes and the various prizes awarded by the donor-advised funds, we are proud to honor 14 researchers and their teams who contribute to improving the health of one and all,” explains Dr. Nathalie Sénécal, head of the Health and Medical Research department at Fondation de France.

The Grand Prizes of Fondation de France

Sandrine Humbert

Director of research at the Grenoble Institute of Neuroscience, winner of the Grand Prize for Senior Research for her project “Neurodevelopment in Huntington’s Disease.”

Raphaël Margueron

Director of research at the Institute Curie (Paris), winner of the Grand Prize for Junior Research for his project “Epigenic Control of Chromatin under Normal and Pathological Conditions.”

Le Prix de l'œil (The Eye Prize)

Olivier Goureau

Inserm (French Institute of Health and Medical Research) director of research at the Vision Institute (Paris), winner of the Fondation de France Prix de l’œil (The Eye Prize) for his project on pluripotent stem cells used in modeling and treating degenerative diseases of the retina.

Infectious diseases and immune system disorders

Arnaud Fontanet, epidemiologist at the l’Institut Pasteur (Paris), winner for his work on emerging viruses, in particular his research on long Covid.
The Fondation Jean Valade Senior Prize is for work on a potential diagnostic, physiopathological, or therapeutic application.

Carole Guillonneau, CNRS (French National Center for Scientific Research) director of research at the Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology (Nantes), winner of the Fondation Jean Valade Junior Prize for her project on autoimmune diseases.
The Fondation Jean Valade Junior Prize is intended for a young researcher (under 45 years old).

Mathilde Guzzo, researcher in microbiology at the Biology and Chemistry Institute (Lyon), winner for her project on new ways to combat bacterial infections.
The Fondation Jacques Monod awards one or more prizes to young researchers working on the molecular aspects of cellular regulation.

Véronique Carrière, Inserm (French Institute of Health and Medical Research) researcher at the Saint-Antoine Hospital (Paris), winner for her project “Microbiota, Intestines and Inflammation.”
The Fondation Pierre Durand et Marie-Thérèse Chevalier Prize supports medical research on intestinal disorders.

Cancer

David Castel, researcher at Gustave-Roussy Institute (Villejuif), winner for his project on resistant pediatric cerebral tumors.
The Fondation Lucie et Olga Fradiss Prize is awarded to a French researcher or team doing fundamental cancer research, in partnership with the Gustave Roussy Institute.

Mario Terlizzi, radiotherapist at Gustave Roussy Institute (Villejuif), winner for his project on stereotactic radiotherapy.
The Fondation Lucien Mallet Prize is awarded to radiotherapists whose research advances the search for relief or a cure for malign tumors.

Genetics

Mart Krupovic, director of research at the Institut Pasteur (Paris), winner for his project on archaeal virology.
The Fondation Thérèse Lebrasseur Prize is awarded to a researcher at the Institut Pasteur who has never utilized vivisection.

Beloin

Micheline Fromont-Racine and Christophe Beloin (Institut Pasteur, Paris), winners for their projects “The Genetics of Macromolecular Interactions” and “The Genetics of Biofilms.”
The Fondation Georges Zermati Prizes are awarded to researchers of all disciplines at the Institut Pasteur.

Neurodegenerative diseases

Andréa Lazzarotto, head of the clinic at the Saint-Antoine Hospital (Paris), winner for his project “The Consequences Cortical Remyelination Failure on the Progression of Multiple Sclerosis.”
The Fondation Marie-Ange Bouvet Labruyère Prize supports innovative work on multiple sclerosis and demyelinating diseases.

Clément Aveneau, of the Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris, winner for his project “Biomarkers That Can Predict the Response to Alzheimer’s Disease Treatments.”
The Fondation Philippe Chatrier Prize is awarded to a young researcher for fundamental or clinical research on Alzheimer’s Disease.

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