Continuing the work of Louis Pasteur

The work of French microbiologist Louis Pasteur and his team in the 19th century was of paramount importance for humanity. Together, they revolutionised the fields of microbiology and immunology, laying the foundation for advancements in hygiene, vaccine development, and the prevention of infectious diseases.

Did you know that Eurofins Biomnis has strong ties to Louis Pasteur through Marcel Mérieux, a student of the renowned microbiologist?

In this article, Dr Fran?ois CORNU , President of Eurofins Biomnis, explains how scientists at Eurofins Biomnis are continuing the crucial work initiated by Pasteur and Mérieux in the 1800s.

The story of Eurofins Biomnis began where you might least expect it: in the trenches of World War I. One soldier was pre-occupied with a devastating disease that was spreading among the French troops: tetanus. Marcel Mérieux, a student of Louis Pasteur, had been drafted into the war effort.

Seeing the dreadful toll that tetanus had taken on his fellow soldiers, he felt a calling towards human biology.

After the war, Marcel set up his own laboratory in France and dedicated his career to combatting infectious diseases through testing and better diagnostics.

Marcel’s legacy lived on after his death in 1937 through his son, Charles. Charles understood that medical professionals were increasingly relying upon clinical diagnostic testing for a variety of health services, from routine check-ups to more targeted screening.

The laboratory began supporting doctors and hospitals across France with their clinical diagnostic testing needs.

These days, the laboratory founded by Marcel is part of Eurofins Biomnis. But how did that come to be?

In 2015, the Eurofins network was a new player in the clinical diagnostics market, with just a small presence in the USA. That same year, the laboratory, now known as Eurofins Biomnis, joined the Eurofins network.

By then, the company was widely recognised as the main player in the French specialised clinical diagnostics field.

Joining the Eurofins network was an exciting opportunity for the Biomnis team. The Eurofins network benefitted from the wealth of medical expertise among the clinical testing staff, while Eurofins Biomnis thrived on the international synergies facilitated by the Eurofins network. These synergies have been responsible for significant achievements and were exemplified during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The use of in vitro diagnostic tools developed by our colleagues in the Eurofins network enabled us to become the first laboratory to screen for variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus,” Fran?ois Cornu points out.

“This inspired us to pursue other collaborations within the Eurofins network,” Fran?ois explained. “For instance, Eurofins Biomnis partnered with Eurofins Genomics to provide academics with a complete service offering for all their research and diagnosis needs!”

Above all, Eurofins Biomnis remains committed to supporting doctors and hospitals in monitoring their patients’ health through clinical diagnostic testing, among other services. Although, the clinical diagnostics field requires constant innovation and development.

“Emerging pathogens will be a key medical challenge of the 21st century,” Fran?ois predicts. “For example, the contributions of genetics researchers were instrumental in understanding and preventing the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Click here to visit the Eurofins Biomnis website.