Rebekka Wild, CNRS research fellow and team leader at IBS, received the Paoletti Prize 2025 for her work on understanding glycosaminoglycans at the molecular level.
A scientific career marked by excellence
After studying biochemistry at the University of Tübingen (Germany), Rebekka completed a PhD in structural biology at the University of Geneva (Switzerland), followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at ETH Zurich. There, she developed a deep interest in understanding glycosyltransferases at the molecular level. In 2019, she was recruited by the CNRS and joined the “Structure and Activity of Glycosaminoglycans” group at the IBS in Grenoble, where she now leads a team studying the enzymes involved in glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis.
Her research
Glycosaminoglycans are long, complex linear polysaccharide chains found on the surface of most animal and human cells. Their strategic position allows them to regulate many biological processes and play a role in various diseases. Her team’s goal is to better understand these fascinating macromolecules by studying their biosynthesis, which involves more than a dozen glycosyltransferases and modifying enzymes in the Golgi apparatus. Using cryo-electron microscopy, we are elucidating the molecular mechanisms and structure of these enzymes.
A prestigious recognition
The Claude Paoletti Prize was created in honor of Claude Paoletti, former director of the Life Sciences Department at the CNRS and a fervent supporter of young researchers. Each year, it recognizes two promising young scientists from all disciplines of biology. The 2025 prizes were awarded on January 7, 2026, during a ceremony held at the Gérard Mégie Campus in Paris.