Jean-Jacques Muyembe receives honorary doctorate from Montpellier University

This Friday, December 9, Philippe Augé, President of the University of Montpellier, will award the title of Doctor Honoris Causa* from the University of Montpellier to Jean-Jacques Muyembe. The ceremony will take place in the anatomy amphitheatre of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Montpellier from 3pm, in the presence of Éric Delaporte, Director of the TransVIHMI international joint unit (UM-Inserm-IRD) and Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University and CHU of Montpellier. Following the ceremony, the PRISME RDC agreement "Plateforme de Research Internationale en Santé Mondiale en République Démocratique du Congo" will be signed at 4:30 pm, in the presence of the Secretary General of the Ministry of Public Health of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Director of ANRS / Emerging Infectious Diseases.

By invitation only

Jean-Jacques Muyembe, co-discoverer of the Ebola virus

Jean-Jacques Muyembe is a Congolese virologist born in 1942, renowned as one of the co-discoverers of the Ebola virus in 1976. Professor of Microbiology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, he is also Director General of the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Jean-Jacques Muyembe was part of the team at Yambuku Catholic Mission Hospital that investigated the first Ebola outbreak in 1976. In August 2019, a molecule he developed in collaboration with American researchers proved effective against the Ebola virus. To mark the occasion, he will present a lecture entitled "From the discovery of the Ebola virus to its control" on December 9 (during the award ceremony).

Signing of the "Plateforme de Research Internationale en Santé Mondiale en République Démocratique du Congo" (PRISME RDC) agreement

This platform for scientific collaboration is designed to promote research projects, training programs and national capacity-building, in a concerted effort by Congolese institutions (ANRS Emerging Infectious Diseases / IRD / INSERM / University of Montpellier / INRB / Ministry of Public Health of the Democratic Republic of Congo / University of Kinshasa / French Embassy in DRC).

* Created in 1918, the title of Doctor Honoris Causa pays tribute to foreign personalities who highlight and echo the values of the University through their contribution to the world of ideas, culture, arts and sciences. Awarded at a solemn ceremony, this is the most eminent and prestigious academic title to be conferred by the University of Montpellier.