VivaTech 2026: The ASU-GHI Celebrates The Women Transforming Global health
From 17 to 20 June 2026, the ASU-GHI took part in VivaTech 2026. With a presence at the Sorbonne University’s stand, the Institute organised five sessions on the theme of “Women Leaders’ Empowerment,” highlighting the vital role of women in research, innovation and the transformation of health policy.
When global health meets innovation
Over the course of four days, the discussions explored various aspects of global health through concrete examples of research and action.
Discussions focused in particular on prevention and student health, a topic that has become central to higher education institutions in light of the changing needs of young adults. Other presentations addressed the issue of food insecurity and its impact on health, highlighting the importance of integrated approaches combining nutrition, social support and public policy.
Innovation in healthcare was also highlighted by a presentation on the IMPACT-HPV project, supported by the ASU-GHI, which draws on research into environmental epidemiology and wastewater analysis. Issues relating to cognitive health and ageing also featured prominently in the discussions, highlighting the need to better understand the mechanisms of cognitive vulnerability and to develop prevention strategies tailored to current demographic changes.
Finally, several speakers presented territorial innovation initiatives in the health sector, demonstrating how collaboration between researchers, local authorities, healthcare professionals and economic stakeholders can foster the development of solutions that meet the specific needs of local communities.
An interdisciplinary approach aimed at making an impact
Beyond the wide range of topics covered, the five sessions highlighted a shared conviction: contemporary health challenges require collective responses, based on dialogue between disciplines and between stakeholders.
The presentations illustrated how academic research can fuel innovation, how data gathered in the field can help shape public policy, and how new technologies can help improve prevention, diagnosis and support for the population.
This vision lies at the heart of the approach developed by the ASU-GHI, which brings together expertise from the biomedical sciences, the humanities and social sciences, environmental sciences and engineering within the Sorbonne University Alliance in order to address major global health challenges.
© Photo credits: Nicolas Vaucher