Social media pioneers celebrated the appointment of researcher Yasmine Belkaid as director general of the French Pasteur Institute, which specializes in the study of biology, viral diseases and vaccines, becoming the second woman to hold this position since the institute's establishment in 1887.
The French Institute announced in a statement the appointment of this researcher of Algerian origin to succeed Professor Stuart Cole, to assume her position as of the beginning of next year, for a period of 6 years.
The decision to appoint Belkaid as president of the Institut Pasteur follows a lengthy selection process that began in June 2021, according to the institute.
How we feel about the news! đ pic.twitter.com/wWSxBpuC3n
â Belkaid Lab (@BelkaidLab) March 31, 2023
"As the next President of the Institut Pasteur, I aim to position the Institute as a leading scientific research organization in the life sciences and strengthen its position in the surveillance, prevention and identification of emerging pathogens at the international level," said Prof. Belkaid.
#Ù۱Ù۳ۧ. Algerian scientist Yasmine Belkaid appointed director general of renowned Pasteur Research Institute pic.twitter.com/8LuHkh2Wkt
â Al Jazeera (@AJArabic) April 1, 2023
Algerians considered Belkaid's appointment "a source of pride for Algerians." Algerian professor and physicist Noureddine Melikchi said: "Yasmine will lead the world's scientific institutions to greater heights."
Congratulations to Yasmine Belkaid for her appointment as the new Director General of the Institut Pasteur. Yasmine Belkaid will lead one of the world's most prominent scientific institutions to greater heights. Best luck to Yasmine Belkaid and well done to the Pasteur Institute for your wonderful fishing.
â Noureddine (@nmelikechi) April 1, 2023
Algerian journalist Khadija Ben Guena wrote on Twitter: "Algerian Yasmine Belkaid is the head of the institute, which has rendered a great service to humanity."
For the first time in the history of the famous Pasteur Institute@institutpasteur which has saved humanity from many epidemics and diseases since its establishment in 1888, Algerian Yasmine Belkaid @BelkaidLab assumes the presidency of the Institute, which has provided a great service to humanity by discovering vaccines and deciphering the mystery of AIDS, malaria, typhus and others by scientists who worked in it pic.twitter.com/wLk6FOuksc
â Khadija Ben Gana (@Benguennak) March 31, 2023
According to Algerian news websites, Belkaid was born in 1968 in Algiers, holds a master's degree in biochemistry from the Houari Boumediene University of Science and Technology, has published more than 220 scientific articles on infection, immunity, germs and nutrition, and has received numerous awards and honors.