Research on zoonoses: Professors Touré and Keita received the 2025 Christophe Mérieux Prize

Under the dome of the Institut de France, in Paris, on Wednesday June 18, 2025, professors Alpha Kabinet Keita and Abdoulaye Touré officially received the 2025 Christophe Mérieux Prize. This internationally renowned scientific distinction rewards their exceptional commitment to the fight against infectious diseases in Guinea and West Africa.

Recognition for years of research

The Christophe Mérieux Prize, endowed with 500,000 euros and awarded each year by the Christophe and Rodolphe Mérieux Foundation – Institute of France, highlights researchers working on infectious diseases in developing countries. Professors Alpha Kabinet Keita and Abdoulaye Touré, major figures in Guinean biomedical research, are honored for a career marked by excellence and scientific resilience.

“A prize which rewards our work over the last 10 or 15 years on hemorrhagic fevers, and also on many other infectious diseases, emerging or re-emerging, which are the cause of epidemics in our countries”, declared the Professor Abdoulaye Touré with great emotion.

Constructing quality research in a constrained context

The Professor Alpha Kabinet Keita, microbiologist and co-winner, recalled the importance of this prize as a symbol of a collective fight: “The award also calls on our ability to build a team in a context of countries with intermediate resources, and above all to develop world-class research work in a context which, basically, could be unfavorable to the development of research activities of this nature. »

Its work focuses in particular on zoonoses, epidemiological surveillance and strengthening response systems in support of Ministry of Health of the Republic of Guinea.

The permanent secretary wanted to highlight the exemplary commitment of the two winners:
“I have deep admiration for Professors Keita and Touré, who embody a generation of African scientists committed to excellence, quality research and the health sovereignty of the African continent. They are among those who take up this challenge. »

The loud applause from the room, marking the presentation of the awards, demonstrated the respect and recognition that the scientific community has for them.

A ceremony full of solemnity and pride

The award ceremony took place in the presence of a large Guinean delegation, made up of scientists, researchers and senior executives, including the Secretary General of the Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation.

Train, transmit and popularize

For the two researchers, this distinction is not an end in itself. They see it as encouragement to continue their mission. “With this prize, we will continue to work on infectious diseases, but also to train many more young people, to strengthen our reception and supervision capacities, and to participate in the popularization of research work,” they said in unison.

The Christophe Mérieux Prize thus highlights the importance of research efforts carried out in Africa, often in complex conditions, but bringing major scientific innovations to the benefit of populations. Professors Keita and Touré become symbols of this scientific Africa which advances, builds and inspires.

Alpha Oumar Bagou Barry