EMBO and the Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS) has named Pascale Cossart, a renowned bacteriologist and Professor at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, France, as the winner of the 2013 FEBS/EMBO Women in Science Award.
Professor Cossart has received the award for her outstanding contributions to the study of how bacteria infect human and other cells, her active role in encouraging cooperation between different disciplines in the life sciences, and her support and mentoring of young scientists.
The FEBS/EMBO Women in Science Award recognises the outstanding achievements of a female researcher in molecular biology over the previous five years. Winners of the award are role models who inspire future generations of women in science.
Cossart has studied how the infectious bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, a deadly food-borne pathogen, infects cells and leads to disease (for example, encephalitis, bacteremia, and gastroenteritis). Cossart and colleagues were the first to work out how Listeria monocytogenes enters and takes over cells that it infects. Her work has helped to build up a comprehensive picture of the genetic and biochemical processes that make this organism so effective and lethal.
'Her work has provided an incredible foundation for the study of how micro-organisms infect cells and disrupt the essential processes needed in a healthy cell,' said Julian Davies, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of British Columbia.
Cossart said: 'I am really happy. This prize is very different from any other award. It comes from EMBO and FEBS which means a lot. It not only recognises scientific achievements but also social behaviour and engagement in the scientific community. I truly feel honoured and encouraged to go ahead.'
The 2013 FEBS/EMBO Women in Science Award of €10,000 will be presented to Pascale Cossart on 2 September at the FEBS-EMBO Anniversary Meeting in Paris, France, where she will give a special lecture.
Nominations for the 2014 FEBS/EMBO Women in Science Award close on 15 October 2014.
