Éric Vivier, a professor at l'X, receives the prestigious 2026 William B. Coley Prize

Éric Vivier, a professor at École Polytechnique, is the recipient of the 2026 William B. Coley Prize, presented by the Cancer Research Institute (CRI), a leading U.S. organization in the field of cancer immunology. Established in 1975, this annual award honors researchers whose fundamental discoveries have significantly advanced our understanding of immune mechanisms and opened up new therapeutic avenues for treating cancer.

Éric Vivier is being honored for his overall contributions to the study of natural killer (NK) cells and, more broadly, innate immunity. His work has led to a better understanding of how these cells identify and eliminate tumor cells, helping to establish innate immunity as a cornerstone of modern immunotherapy. It has also paved the way for the development of new therapeutic strategies that are currently being explored in clinical trials.

An internationally renowned researcher, Éric Vivier has made significant contributions to advancing our understanding of the interactions between the immune system and cancer. His basic research has paved the way for numerous advances, particularly in the development of innovative immunotherapies, bridging the gap between academic research and clinical applications.

With this award, the Cancer Research Institute honors Éric Vivier’s exceptional scientific career and the lasting impact of his work on contemporary immunology. The William B. Coley Prize counts among its past recipients several researchers who went on to receive the highest international honors, including the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, making it one of the most prestigious awards in the field of immunology and immunotherapy.

Beyond this individual honor, the William B. Coley Prize highlights the major role played by Éric Vivier in the French and international scientific communities. A professor at École Polytechnique, he is also a professor of immunology at Aix-Marseille University and a hospital physician at Assistance Publique–Hôpitaux de Marseille (AP-HM), co-founder of the Marseille-Luminy Immunology Center (CIML), holder of the Natural Killer (NK) Cell Chair at the Gustave Roussy Foundation, and president of the Paris-Saclay Cancer Cluster (PSCC), of which the Institut Polytechnique de Paris is one of the five founding members, alongside Gustave Roussy, the Sanofi Group, Inserm, and Paris-Saclay University.