Women honoured in Paris for outstanding contributions to science

Since its creation in 2001, the Irene Joliot-Curie Prize is given to women researchers for their outstanding contribution to science. Claire de March, whose research focuses on understanding the complexity of odour perception, was one of this year's winners. The awards ceremony for the 2023 prize was held in Paris on the eve of International Women's Day. 

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Claire de March is one of the recipients of the 2023 Irene Joliot Curie Prize. © Dhananjay Khadilkar

Speaking to RFI, de March said understanding the interaction between odourant receptors and odourant molecules was important for perfumery, food industries and everything else that depends on smell.

She said some odourant receptors were also located outside the olfactory systems.

"Some are even expressed in cancer cells. So perhaps, they could become therapeutic targets," de March added.

"So having molecules that activate them, inhibit them is also very important and could involve the development of new drugs."

When asked if she had to face bias as a woman scientist and about the significance of the award, de March said she was "extremely proud" to have received it.

"Irene-Joliot Curie was a genius. This award aims to encourage young women researchers and and to provide role models of what a woman researcher can achieve," she said.