The International Conference "Molecular Bases of Epidemiology, Diagnostics, Prevention and Treatment of Infectious Diseases" dedicated to the 110th anniversary of St. Petersburg Pasteur Institute and 95th anniversary of naming it after Pasteur was held in St. Petersburg on 4-6 December, 2018.
During the Opening Ceremony Pr Areg Totolian, Director of the St. Petersburg Pasteur Institute, Academician of RAS, emphasized that the program of the Conference with more than 80 participants from 33 countries and 4 continents was very busy and included: 2nd St. Petersburg Symposium on Tuberculosis and Mycobacteria: Molecular Aspects; Xth Anniversary Symposium with International Participation “HIV-infection and Immunosuppression”; Workshop of WHO polio laboratories with the participation of the institutes of the Institut Pasteur International Network: “Enterovirus diseases following poliomyelitis eradication”. He also mentioned that the important session of the Conference was devoted to the work of young scientists who would give oral and poster presentations and would be nominated for the awards.
Elena Ezhlova, Head of the Epidemiological Surveillance Department of the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-being (Rospotrebnadzor), on behalf of the Head of Rospotrebnadzor, Chief State Sanitary Physician of the Russian Federation, Pr Anna Popova welcomed the participants of the Conference. She noted that many generations of Pasteurians in the selfless work had created the glorious pages in the history of the country's epidemiological service and had greatly contributed to the fight against infectious diseases. The new generation of Pasteurians continues their service to science, health protection, sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population of the Russian Federation. The Institute’s studies in the field of molecular epidemiology, epidemiological surveillance and development of modern technologies are well known. In this reason the Conference is dedicated to molecular bases of epidemiology, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of many infectious diseases. The scientific authority of the Institute is well known in Russia and abroad. Since 1993 the Institute has been a full member of the Institut Pasteur International Network. According to Dr Ezhlova the practical aspects of issues that will be discussed at the Conference as well as the participation of young scientists are very important. She wished the participants of the Jubilee Conference fruitful meaningful work, new achievements, good health and well-being.
On behalf of Anna Mityanina, the Vice-Governor of St. Petersburg, her adviser Arfenia Ter-Minasova congratulated the participants on the 110th anniversary of St. Petersburg Pasteur Institute, mentioned the distinguished contribution of the Institute in the fight against epidemics and expressed the support from the executive authorities of the city.
Also the audience was congratulated on this occasion on behalf of Chairman of the Health Committee of St. Petersburg Mikhail Dubina by the Head of the Department for the Organization of Inpatient Medical Care Vladimir Deinega.
In addition the participants of the Conference were welcomed by the President of Institut Pasteur (Paris) Pr. Stewart Cole who also recalled that in November 2018, the Institut Pasteur celebrated its 130th anniversary. The Institut Pasteur 130th anniversary ceremony and the 50th Directors Meeting of IPIN were held on this occasion in Paris. The representative delegation of the St. Petersburg Pasteur Institute also took part in the 4th Institut Pasteur International Network Symposium "Combating Resistance: microbes and vectors". Pr. Cole noted the high mission of Institut Pasteur International Network. He pointed out that the St. Petersburg Pasteur Institute occupies an important place in the Network’s activities, not only because it is the only member of IPIN in Russia, as well as in the entire Post-Soviet territory, but also it performs a wide range of research work including close collaboration, exchange of experience and regular internships on various topics, such as drug resistance, neurodegenerative processes and others. He congratulated the entire staff of the Institute on the anniversary and wished them success in their work.
10 informative presentations were made at the first part of the Plenary session. See the Program here.
At the second part there was the Meeting, dedicated to the 110th anniversary of St. Petersburg Pasteur Institute and 95th anniversary of naming it after Louis Pasteur which includes 3 presentations that shows the anniversary events of the Institute and draw historical parallels: Areg Totolian “Unexpected pages of Saint-Petersburg Pasteur Institute’s history”; Stewart Cole “Institut Pasteur : a new strategy for 2019-2023 and the partnership with IP St Petersburg” and Valery Chereshnev “Louis Pasteur, Ilya Mechnikov and Institut Pasteur in Russia”.
As a part of the Meeting, dedicated to the 110th anniversary of St. Petersburg Pasteur Institute, the Institute employees received the high awards of Rospotrebnadzor, the veterans of the Institute were congratulated on this occasion, and the guests warm welcomed and congratulated all the participants.
