Louis Pasteur was born on December 27, 1822 in Dole, in the region of Jura, France. His discovery that most infectious diseases are caused by germs, known as the "germ theory of disease", is one of the most important in medical history. His work became the foundation for the science of microbiology, and a cornerstone of modern medicine. Pasteur's phenomenal contributions to microbiology and medicine, Pasteur developed "pasteurization", a process by which harmful microbes in perishable food products are destroyed using heat, without destroying the food.

Research on Fermentation and Spontaneous Generation

At the request of a distiller named Bigo from the north of France, Pasteur began to examine why alcohol becomes contaminated with undesirable substances during fermentation. He soon demonstrated that each sort of fermentation is linked to the existence of a specific micro organism or ferment -- a living being that one can study by cultivation in an appropriate, sterile medium. This insight is the basis of microbiology. Pasteur delivered the fatal blow to the doctrine of spontaneous generation, the theory held for 20 centuries that life could arise spontaneously in organic materials. He also developed a germ theory. At the same time, he discovered the existence of life without oxygen: "Fermentation is the consequence of life without air". The discovery of anaerobic life paved the way for the study of germs that cause septicaemia and gangrene, among other infections. Thanks to Pasteur, it became possible to devise techniques to kill microbes and to control contamination.

Technique of "Pasteurization"

Emperor Napoleon III asked Pasteur to investigate the diseases afflicting wine which were causing considerable economic losses to the wine industry. Pasteur went to a vineyard in Arbois in 1864 to study this problem. He demonstrated that wine diseases are caused by micro organisms that can be killed by heating the wine to 55deg.C for several minutes. Applied to beer and milk, this process, called "pasteurization", soon came into use throughout the world.

Each year in the world, 17 millions people die of infectious diseases.

The infectious diseases touch every country, every social class, every age. All we are concerned. Because of planes, virus can make the planet turn. And each year , new very dangerous virus for the human being appear. The only virus of Influenza killed at the XXth century more than all the wars together. Without forgetting all the other illnesses : hepatitis, AIDS, meningitis…

To fight against the illnesses, we are obliged to develop the medical research.

The advance are important but insufficient. 50% of illnesses have no vaccine or no affective treatment. To save millions of people, and maybe tomorrow your close, we must continue and accelerate the medical research.

Institut Pasteur is one of most important research institute.

A team with more 8500 employees in the world, high technology equipments, contacts all over the world make Institut Pasteur a leader in the world medical research. Its discoveries, recognized by many Nobel Prizes, hundreds of Scientifics prizes have already saved millions of people : AIDS identification, vaccine against rabies…and so many other discoveries which changed our life.

Institut Pasteur, non-benefit private foundation needs your hand.

Because the research costs !
Institut Pasteur will have to spend 180 million euros in 2003 to finance its programs. The State and its own resources will cover only 75% of the charges. To be able to face its aims in the fight against the illnesses in the world, Institut Pasteur will have to find in 2003, 50 million euros from people