On December 11, 2024, a symbolic and historic inaugural event took place to pay tribute to Agnes Ullmann, an iconic scientific figure at the Institut Pasteur, celebrating her legacy both as a renowned researcher and as a prominent personality who left her mark on scientific education, research, and innovation within the institution.
Dozens of guests, including friends, colleagues, collaborators, and students of this remarkable woman, gathered around Yasmine Belkaid, President of the Institut Pasteur; Monica Sala, Vice-President of Education of the Institut Pasteur; and His Excellency Georges de Habsbourg-Lorraine, Ambassador of Hungary to France. The ceremony dedicated a "historic building she cherished so much—the former hospital of the Institut Pasteur"—which will now bear her name. A one-of-a-kind event at the Institut Pasteur marking the first time the name of an exceptional female Pasteurian researcher has been inscribed on its campus. Since 2007, this building has notably housed the Institute's teaching center, a space symbolically embodying Agnes Ullmann's commitment to the transmission of knowledge and the preparation of future generations of researchers.
Explaining the hindered career of this courageous young chemistry and biochemistry student, who was forced to escape from her native Hungary to find refuge at the Institut Pasteur with the help and humanistic complicity of Jacques Monod in 1958, Monica Sala drew the portrait of a woman “deeply attached to ‘intellectual freedom and the purity of scientific thought’”.
Monica Sala also paid tribute to the commitment of this outstanding scientist, who was particularly keen to pass on scientific knowledge, especially to young people. Responsible for numerous courses at the Institut Pasteur, including microbiology - the first of its kind in the world and launched by Louis Pasteur in 1889 - she introduced the “theme-based formula” to articulate courses and practical work on different, sequential themes stemming from Pasteur's research laboratories and led by scientific colleagues.
In turn, His Excellency Georges de Habsbourg-Lorraine was keen to honor the memory of a lady who tried to fight obscurantism and dedicated her talent to the service of science, beyond the borders of Hungary and France, to spread it throughout the world. His Excellency underlined the importance of scientific development, coordinated on a European level, and particularly stressed the importance of implementation between the two countries. He also shared his pride in being able to perpetuate the strong link between the Institut Pasteur and Hungary, to which Agnes contributed during her lifetime. This link is reflected in today's partnership with the University of Szeged.
As for Yasmine Belkaid, she expressed her wish, through this inauguration, to pay tribute to an emblematic figure in science, to an exceptional woman whose “legacy continues to resonate here at the Institut Pasteur, and far beyond”.
Underlining the breadth of her incomparable scientific contribution, and her key role in innovation and transmission, Yasmine Belkaid emphasized how much Agnes Ullmann represents an inspiring symbol for open science. Honoring Agnes Ullmann also means sending out a strong message of recognition for the role of women in science.
"May this building, through its walls and actions, bear the name of Agnes Ullmann as a symbol of scientific excellence, openness to the world, and shared progress. And may it remind us every day that science can only advance together, with the values of diversity and collaboration at the heart of our ambitions."
To honor the memory of this personality and give her her rightful place on campus, an artistic work, createdby Elodie Dandelot, a member of the Scientific Programming and Incentive Actions Service (SPAIS), supported by the Scientific Information Resource Center (CeRIS) and the Archives Service, was unveiled during the ceremony. Mounted on a totem, this work will soon be installed in front of the greenhouse, an integral part of the Agnes Ullmann building and a place she loved to visit for quiet reflection.
Photos of the ceremony: Sébastien Toubon
Featured photo: Agnes Ullmann at the Institut Pasteur centenary gala at the Opéra Garnier in 1987
