Thomas Benoist, a postdoctoral researcher at the Institut de pharmacologie et de biologie structurale, is one of two recipients of the 2027 prize from the TuBerculosis Vaccine Initiative (TBVI). This award recognizes outstanding contributions by young scientists to the research and development of vaccines against tuberculosis.
His research combines tissue engineering and immunology to create innovative human models for a better understanding of infectious diseases, particularly tuberculosis. At IPBS, he has contributed to the development of organ-on-chip technologies to study immune responses to vaccination and tuberculous infection.
In collaboration with the biotechnology company TissUse (Berlin, Germany) and with support from the Gates Foundation, he developed and utilized a multi-organ-on-chip human model integrating pulmonary, hepatic, and lymphoid compartments. This system offers a promising approach to studying immune responses induced by vaccination and their ability to control infection, in an experimental environment that replicates certain aspects of human physiology.
His work also focuses on developing human lung models for evaluating anti-tuberculosis treatments, notably through the production of cells exhibiting characteristics of alveolar macrophages.
As a TBVI 2027 prize laureate, Thomas Benoist will present his research at the annual TBVI symposium, organized on January 26-27, 2027, in Les Diablerets, Switzerland. This international meeting brings together researchers, vaccine developers, public health actors, and funding organizations involved in the fight against tuberculosis.
This distinction highlights the importance of developing new human experimental models to better understand host-pathogen interactions and accelerate the development of tuberculosis vaccines.
