MIVEGEC, IRD, France
Dr. Hacène Medkour is a veterinarian-scientist specializing in infectious diseases , molecular biology , virology , and immunology , with a strong focus on zoonoses and One Health . With dual Ph.D.s from Algeria and France , he has worked extensively on arboviruses, especially flaviviruses like dengue and Zika, and on canine leishmaniasis . As a researcher at IRD’s MIVEGEC lab in Montpellier , he contributes to vaccine development 💉 and vector-pathogen interactions involving mosquitoes . With over 45 peer-reviewed publications , international collaborations , and multiple innovation patents, he bridges veterinary science and human public health. Fluent in Arabic, French, and English , he is also an active mentor, reviewer, and lab coordinator, embodying a multidisciplinary and global health approach .
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🎓 Education:
Dr. Medkour holds two Ph.D. degrees: in Veterinary Science from Constantine 1 University (2023), with a thesis on canine leishmaniasis , and in Infectious Diseases from Aix-Marseille University (2020), focused on tracking animal reservoirs . He also earned a Magister in Veterinary Immunology , a DESU in animal experimentation , and DVM in 2013 . His academic path includes specialized training in artificial insemination and project design for animal models . His multidisciplinary formation in both veterinary and biomedical sciences enables him to work across human-animal-environmental interfaces . These qualifications are the foundation for his cutting-edge research in immunology, virology, and epidemiology, and support his role as a One Health scientist .
💼 Experience:
Dr. Medkour is currently a junior researcher at IRD’s MIVEGEC lab , focusing on a broad-spectrum flavivirus vaccine . He completed two postdocs in Montpellier on mosquito-virus-host interactions , with visiting scientist roles in Singapore and Toulouse . He also manages BSL3 animal facilities and molecular labs . Earlier, he worked on COVID-19 animal reservoirs , leishmaniasis control, and veterinary diagnostics . He practiced as a clinical veterinarian, taught biology at USTHB , and supervised animal health in poultry production . He’s a long-term member of PADESCA lab and a PI in approved animal research protocols. His experience spans virology, immunology, epidemiology, animal health, and biosafety — making him a cross-disciplinary asset to infectious disease research .
🏆 Awards & Honors:
Dr. Medkour has received the 2022 Zoonoses Thesis Award , a COVID-19 research medal , and several prestigious fellowships, including the €153K FRM Postdoc Grant (2022–2024) . He leads or collaborates on major international projects: EU Horizon (€8M), MUSE Innovation Accelerator (€120K), and PHC programs with Thailand , Singapore , and Japan . His doctoral fellowship was funded by CEVA (€89K), and he earned scholarships from RIVOC for MSc students . In 2013, he graduated top of his DVM class . These distinctions reflect both his academic excellence and translational innovation, as evidenced by two patents: one for a pan-flavivirus vaccine and another for veterinary leishmaniasis treatment . He is widely recognized as a rising expert in One Health research .
🔬 Research Focus:
Dr. Medkour’s research integrates molecular biology , immunology , and epidemiology to address infectious diseases that affect both humans and animals (One Health ). His main focus is on arboviruses (dengue, Zika, etc.) , particularly their transmission mechanisms at the skin level and the role of mosquito salivary lipids . He develops experimental models to test novel immunization strategies and vaccine candidates against flaviviruses. He also leads research on canine leishmaniasis , innovating treatments and diagnostics. His interdisciplinary approach bridges field epidemiology, high-containment lab work (BSL3), and vaccine development. He contributes to international consortia on vector-borne diseases and has filed patents for both therapeutic and prophylactic tools . Through a blend of basic and translational research, his work aims to prevent emerging zoonotic threats and improve public health worldwide .
Conclusion
Dr. Hacène Medkour is a highly deserving candidate for the Young Scientist Award .He exemplifies the qualities of a rising global health researcher: multidisciplinary training, international mobility, innovation through patents, consistent publication, and early leadership in high-impact research. His focus on infectious diseases and One Health, paired with translational work on vaccines and pathogen transmission, places him at the forefront of young scientific talent.
Publication
Title: Infectious disease risk across the growing human-non human primate interface: a review of the evidence
Authors: CA Devaux, O Mediannikov, H Medkour, D Raoult
Year: 2019
Citations: 178
Title: Potential animal reservoirs (dogs and bats) of human visceral leishmaniasis due to Leishmania infantum in French Guiana
Authors: H Medkour, B Davoust, F Dulieu, L Maurizi, T Lamour, JL Marie, …
Year: 2019
Citations: 47
Title: SARS-CoV-2 antibodies seroprevalence in dogs from France using ELISA and an automated western blotting assay
Authors: Y Laidoudi, Y Sereme, H Medkour, S Watier-Grillot, P Scandola, J Ginesta, …
Year: 2021
Citations: 40
Title: Parasitic infections in African humans and non-human primates
Authors: H Medkour, I Amona, Y Laidoudi, B Davoust, I Bitam, A Levasseur, …
Year: 2020
Citations: 37
Title: First evidence of human‐to‐dog transmission of SARS‐CoV‐2 B.1.160 variant in France
Authors: H Medkour, S Catheland, C Boucraut‐Baralon, Y Laidoudi, Y Sereme, …
Year: 2022
Citations: 35
Title: An Earliest Endosymbiont, Wolbachia massiliensis sp. nov., Strain PL13 from the Bed Bug (Cimex hemipterus)
Authors: Y Laidoudi, A Levasseur, H Medkour, M Maaloum, M Ben Khedher, …
Year: 2020
Citations: 34
Title: Molecular investigation of vector-borne pathogens in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from southern France
Authors: H Medkour, Y Laidoudi, JL Marié, F Fenollar, B Davoust, O Mediannikov
Year: 2020
Citations: 34
Title: Tabanids as possible pathogen vectors in Senegal (West Africa)
Authors: ML Keita, H Medkour, M Sambou, H Dahmana, O Mediannikov
Year: 2020
Citations: 31
Title: Canine vector-borne protozoa: Molecular and serological investigation for Leishmania spp., Trypanosoma spp., Babesia spp., and Hepatozoon spp. in dogs from Northern Algeria
Authors: H Medkour, Y Laidoudi, I Lafri, B Davoust, A Mekroud, I Bitam, …
Year: 2020
Citations: 31
Title: Molecular and serological detection of animal and human vector-borne pathogens in the blood of dogs from Côte d’Ivoire
Authors: H Medkour, Y Laidoudi, E Athias, A Bouam, S Dizoé, B Davoust, …
Year: 2020
Citations: 30