Thomas Benoist receives the 2027 TBVI Award for his research on human models of tuberculosis
Thomas Benoist, a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Pharmacology and Structural Biology, is one of the two recipients of the 2027 TuBerculosis Vaccine Initiative (TBVI) Award, recognizing outstanding contributions by early-career scientists to tuberculosis vaccine research and development.
Thomas Benoist’s research combines tissue engineering and immunology to develop advanced human models of infectious diseases, with a particular focus on tuberculosis (TB).
At IPBS, he has contributed to the development of innovative organ-on-chip technologies to investigate immune responses to TB vaccination and infection. In collaboration with the biotechnology company TissUse (Berlin, Germany), and with support from the Gates Foundation, he developed and applied a human multi-organ-on-chip model integrating lung, liver, and lymphoid compartments. This system provides a promising approach to studying vaccine-induced immune responses and their relationship to infection control in a physiologically relevant human setting.
His work also includes the development of human lung models for evaluating TB treatments, notably through the generation of alveolar macrophage-like cells.
As a recipient of the 2027 TBVI Award, Thomas will present his research at the TBVI Annual Symposium, held on 26–27 January 2027 in Les Diablerets, Switzerland. This international meeting brings together scientists, vaccine developers, policymakers, and funders working to advance TB vaccine research.
The award highlights the importance of developing innovative human experimental models to better understand host–pathogen interactions and accelerate progress in tuberculosis vaccine research.
Congratulations to Thomas on this well-deserved recognition!
Find out more: TBVI announcement of the 2027 awardees
The TuBerculosis Vaccine Initiative (TBVI) is an international non-profit foundation dedicated to accelerating the discovery and development of new, safe, effective, and affordable vaccines against tuberculosis. By bringing together academic researchers, industry partners, and public health organizations worldwide, TBVI fosters scientific collaboration, knowledge exchange, and innovation to advance promising vaccine candidates towards clinical development. Through its annual awards, TBVI also recognizes and supports outstanding early-career scientists contributing to tuberculosis vaccine research.
