Science under fire
Enemy air raids destroy parts of Pasteur Institute
In recent days, Israeli and American air strikes against Iran have reportedly damaged and destroyed parts of the Pasteur Institute of Iran’s buildings and facilities.
According to the Ministry of Health, several buildings of the Pasteur Institute have been completely destroyed, and damage to laboratory equipment and facilities has created difficulties for the continued operation of this historic and nationally significant research center.
Despite this, pre‑planned contingency measures have prevented disruption to the institute’s core scientific and national activities.
The institute reported that the affected premises — covering an area of 24,000 square meters — included 13 national reference laboratories, three affiliated reference labs, eight health laboratories, 23 research departments, two World Health Organization (WHO) collaborating centers, three biobanks, three research network secretariats, three research centers, one vaccination unit, and one laboratory approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Founded in 1920 (1299 in the Persian calendar), the Pasteur Institute of Iran is the eleventh oldest institute in the global Pasteur Network, which comprises 33 institutions worldwide and has been at the forefront of combating infectious diseases for over a century.
Throughout its distinguished history, the Pasteur Institute of Iran has led efforts in the production of vaccines and diagnostic kits, operation of specialized diagnostic laboratories, and research addressing national health needs. It has played a pioneering role in controlling diseases, such as smallpox, cholera, plague, relapsing fever, rabies, tuberculosis, hepatitis, viral hemorrhagic fevers, and COVID‑19, as well as in monitoring emerging and re‑emerging infectious diseases.
The institute has also been instrumental in training specialists in basic sciences, public health, infectious disease diagnostics, and vaccine research, thereby contributing significantly to advancing the knowledge and skills of health professionals in Iran.