What did the Emperor of Brazil, the Sultan of Turkey and the Emperor of Russia have in common? In 1887, all contributed to the fund to establish the Institut Pasteur. Since its creation, gifts and bequests remain a crucial base of financial support for this private institution dedicated to the service of humanity.

For almost 20 years, the Pasteur Foundation has also benefited immensely from the generous support of Americans and French residents of the United States. Thanks to their philanthropy, the Pasteur Foundation Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program was recently created to bring talented American researchers to work in Pasteur laboratories. With their gifts and bequests to the Pasteur Foundation and, in particular, this program, our U.S.-based donors advance a cause that improves the health of individuals worldwide while opening doors for American scientists.

In recognition of this century-old tradition of private support, the Pasteur Foundation has just published a book by Marie-Hélène Marchand entitled History of Gifts and Bequests Made to the Institut Pasteur, a unique story of how the generosity of donors was instrumental in the evolution of this renowned scientific institution.