Dr. Samia Rourou is a scientist (Assistant Biologist) at Institut Pasteur de Tunis (Tunisia) active in the field of bioprocess development based on mammalian cell culture technology.

She held a degree of Biology engineer, a master and a PhD degree in biological sciences (speciality: biotechnology). Since October 1999, Dr Rourou joined Institut Pasteur de Tunis (IPT) where she was appointed at the viral vaccines development unit as biotechnology engineer.

In September 2010, she defended her Ph.D. in biological sciences entitled "Culture of Vero cells and production of rabies virus under animal component free conditions: process development & proteomics Study ". Later on, in October 2011, she was appointed as an assistant biologist at IPT.

Dr. Rourou is highly involved in vaccine development programs within the biotechnology development group. She had greatly contributed to the development of processes for the production of rabies vaccines for veterinary and human use based on BHK-21 and Vero cells culture in stirred bioreactor.

On January 2016, she was selected by WHO/TDR to benefit from a Career Development Fellowship (CRDF). The first year, she joined glycoconjugate vaccines laboratory at GSK, Siena, Italy.

Then, she got a re-entry grant to implement a small project (beforehand approved by TDR) related to capacity building.

Since 2017, Dr Rourou adapted adherent Vero cells to suspension growth and rabies virus production.

Today, Dr Rourou is leading biotechnology development group within IPT. She is managing 10 national and international projects related to vaccines (rabies, BTV, NDV,..) and therapeutic proteins (antibodies, hormones, S-RBD of SARS-Cov2,…) development.