Pizarro-Cerda Javier

Javier Pizarro-Cerda is an ORDINARY member of the Biochemistry & Molecular Biology section at the Institut Pasteur since 2017, where he serves as Head of the Yersinia Research Unit and the World Health Organization Collaborating Research and Reference Center for Yersinia. Previously, he held roles as Research Director and Associate Researcher in the Bacteria-Cell Interactions Unit at the Institut Pasteur.

• Education:
  • B.Sc. in Biology (University of Costa Rica, 1985–1990)
  • M.Sc. in Biology (University of Costa Rica, 1991–1994)
  • D.E.A. in Immunology (Aix-Marseille II University, 1994–1995)
  • Ph.D. in Immunology (Aix-Marseille II University, 1995–1998)
  • Habilitation (University Paris Descartes, 2012)

His research focuses on cellular microbiology, bacterial pathogenesis, and intracellular trafficking, particularly in Yersinia, Listeria, and Brucella abortus. He has contributed to understanding bacterial invasion mechanisms and host-pathogen interactions.

He has received multiple scientific awards, including the Georges, Jacques & Elias Canetti Prize (2017) and the European Microscopy Society Outstanding Paper Award (2017). His work has been funded by institutions such as Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) and Institut Pasteur.