Albert Calmette served as physician in the Public Health Committee of the French Colonies and was a student of Louis Pasteur.  He ranks high among the distinguished men of the International Network of Pasteur Institutes.

Along with Camil Guérin, he became widely known for his discovery of the anti-tuberculosis vaccine (BCG). His rich scientific work has resulted in the application of the vaccine against cattle small pox, further improvement of the anti-rabies vaccine, and research on reptile venom that led to the discovery of the antidote for snake venom.

Equally important is Albert Calmette’s contribution to the foundation and development of the International Network of Pasteur Institutes:

In 1894, on the urging of Louis Pasteur, he took over the directorship of the newly founded Pasteur Institute in Lille, in Northern France
In 1911, he relocated in Saigon where he founded the first ever Pasteur Institute outside of France

In February 1920, Albert Calmette came to Athens where he contributed significantly to the fledgling Hellenic Pasteur Institute. He formally inaugurated the Institute in the presence of then Greek Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos.
 

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