The Academy of Sciences presents nearly 80 awards annually, covering all scientific fields, both fundamental and applied. In 2026, three scientists from INRAE were honored: Hervé This, Sylvain Raffaele, and Stéphane Blanc.
Hervé This, a research engineer at Sayfood (INRAE-AgroParisTech), received the medal of chemistry. He is the creator of molecular and physical gastronomy, established in 1988, and has developed this scientific discipline worldwide. His research focuses on the mechanisms of exchange between a physico-chemical system (an 'aliment') and its environment, particularly exploring the physico-chemistry of 'dispersed systems' like colloids. He introduced a formalism to study these systems with increasing complexity.
Sylvain Raffaele, a research director at the Laboratory of Plant-Microbe-Environment Interactions in Toulouse, was awarded the Mme Victor Noury prize in biology. His team studies the molecular mechanisms behind the emergence of plant diseases, combining plant and pathogen genome analysis, molecular and cellular biology, and infectious process modeling. This research aims to advance understanding of the molecular evolution of organisms for sustainable crop disease management.
Stéphane Blanc, a research director at the Plant Health Institute Montpellier (PHIM), received the Queen Elizabeth General Widow Le Conte prize in integrative biology. A specialist in plant viruses, he has long studied the interactions between viruses and insect vectors during transmission, as well as viral evolution mechanisms. More recently, his team has focused on the largely unknown biology of multi-component viruses, whose genomes are spread across multiple viral particles, and the properties of these systems.
The Academy of Sciences awards ceremony annually celebrates outstanding professional achievements. The laureates' work strengthens the institute's capacity to address major agricultural, food, climate, and environmental challenges.
