The French National Academy of Medicine has awarded the 2025 Édouard Bonnefous Prize to Clément Bigeard, a veterinary doctor and doctoral student working with the GHiGS team (BPH University of Bordeaux) and the ZEN team (Equine Zoonoses and Neurovirology) ” (ANSES), for his work on arboviruses and their impact on human and animal health, using a One Health approach

Clément Bigeard, a veterinary doctor and trainee Veterinary Public Health Inspector, is conducting his thesis within the GHiGS “Global Health in the Global South” team at the University of Bordeaux (Inserm 1219 / IRD EMR271), and the ZEN “Equine Zoonoses and Neurovirology” team of ANSES, at the West Nile National Reference Laboratory (LNR).

His thesis, supervised by Professor Denis Malvy and Dr. Alexandre Duvignaud (University of Bordeaux), as well as Dr. Gaëlle Gonzalez and Dr. Camille Migné (ANSES), is entitled:
“Understanding and anticipating human and animal health risks related to the emergence of West Nile (WNV) and Usutu (USUV) arboviruses in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, and developing operational and innovative One Health research actions in collaboration with local public health stakeholders.”
This work is fully in line with a One Health approach, exploring the interactions between human, animal, and environmental health.

Clément initiated this project during his OH-MHP (One Health and Infectious Diseases in Public Health) Master’s degree, during a field internship in Gironde focusing on the activation of a local One Health network and the implementation of West Nile virus surveillance.

The Édouard Bonnefous Prize, awarded by the French National Academy of Medicine, recognizes work on the environment and its impact on human health, guided by values of nature conservation and humanism.

For Clément, this recognition highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in better anticipating the health risks associated with emerging zoonoses.

The award ceremony will take place during a formal ceremony at the French National Academy of Medicine on Tuesday, December 16, 2025.