Perhaps a giant copper microscope atop a building seems unusual? It marks the spot we are exploring: the Institut de Bactériologie. This institute shares a building with the Institutes of Virology and Parasitology. It stands at 3 rue Koeberlé. This is a place where medical virology researchers meet medical students. Interns specializing in medical biology also gather here.
The building housing the Institut de Bactériologie has a rich history. Constructed between 1913 and 1919, the building’s architects were Georges Frankhauser, Jacques Stambach, and Jules Gilgenmann. The copper microscope was added in 1991. The Compagnons du Devoir du tour de France crafted this impressive piece. It acts as a lightning rod. It is a symbol of microbiology.
Near the entrance staircase stands a monumental statue. Alfred Martzolff, a Strasbourg sculptor created it. The statue depicts the struggle against infectious diseases. It shows a fight against a serpent.
Let’s delve into the research conducted within these walls. The Virulence Bactérienne Précoce team operates here. They study cellular functions involved in acute and subacute infections. They also investigate the control of these infections. One project focuses on Staphylococcus aureus. Researchers study its virulence factors. They aim to inhibit these factors. Another project explores bacterial infections caused by ticks. They examine the cellular and molecular biology involved.
The Institut de Bactériologie is part of the Faculté de Médecine. Its address is 3, rue Koeberlé, 67000 Strasbourg. The phone number is 03 68 85 37 57.
The institute fosters various research teams. One such team is Dynamique des interactions Hôte pathogène. They focus on epigenetics and ocular toxoplasmosis. They also investigate the impacts of cellular transcription factors. These factors affect the transcriptional activity of HIV-1.
The Institut de Virologie was inaugurated in 1993. Professor André Kirn spearheaded the project. He had the support of Professor André Lwoff. Lwoff won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1965. The Inserm recognized the laboratory in 1967. In 1987, Professor André Kirn shifted the lab’s focus. He concentrated on HIV infection research. He helped build France’s only high-security research center in the region.
Several directors have guided the Institut de Virologie. André Kirn directed it from 1961 to 1997. Jean-Pierre Gut followed from 1997 to 2011. Françoise Stoll-Keller then took over from 2011 to 2015. Samira Fafi-Kremer has been the director since 2015.
Each director brought unique contributions. Kirn focused on viral pathogenesis and HIV research. Gut studied animal models of viral infections. Stoll-Keller introduced molecular techniques for rapid virus detection. Fafi-Kremer studies virus-host interactions in transplant patients.
The legacy of the Institut de Bactériologie and its neighboring institutes is profound. From its architecture to its groundbreaking research, it stands as a beacon of scientific progress in Strasbourg. The institute continues to fight against infectious diseases.