Two award-winning French scientists

Three scientists—two French women and one Swiss woman—have won the 2022 European Inventor Award. Presented since 2006 by the European Patent Office, the award recognizes research that “paves the way for a promising future,” according to its president, Antonio Campinos. In the “research” category, chemist Claude Grison was recognized for her work on plant-based ecocatalysts. By absorbing metal particles, these catalysts could help decontaminate soil at mining sites while creating new molecules for the chemical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries. Immunologist Élodie Belnoue and her Swiss colleague Madiha Derouazi were honored in the “SME” category for their platform for producing therapeutic anti-cancer vaccines, which complement conventional treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy. A ray of hope in the French research landscape, which has been weighed down by insufficient public investment.

L’Humanité
June 23, 2022

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