Jerome Lejeune

Jerome Lejeune , born in 1926 with Montrouge and dead the April 3rd 1994, is a French doctor, Pédiatre and professor of Génétique, with which one owes the discovery of the chromosomal anomaly at the origin of the Trisomie 21.

Biography

The scientific discovery

After studies in medicine, Jerome Lejeune becomes researcher with CNRS in 1952 and is then named international expert for the France on the biological effect of the atomic radiations.

In July 1958, at 32 years, during the examination of the Chromosome S of a child known as “mongolien”, it discovers the existence of a chromosome in excess on the even 21e. For the first time in the history of genetic medicine is established a bond between a Backwardness and a chromosomal Anomalie. He discovers, thereafter, with his collaborators, the mechanism of good of other chromosomal diseases, thus opening the way with the Cytogénétique and the modern Génétique.

Chief of the Cytogenetic unit of to the Hospital Necker Child-Patients in Paris, Jerome Lejeune acquires a world Réputation. He studies with his team more than 30.000 chromosomal files and looks after more than 9.000 people reached of a disease of the Intelligence.

In 1963, Lejeune is the first to describe from a scientific point of view the Syndrome of the cry of the cat. The name of this disease comes owing to the fact that the cries of the children in their youths strongly resemble the Miaulement of the cat. This disease is also called Syndrome of Lejeune.

Fame and its action for the “defense of the life”

In 1964, he is the first professor of Génétique at the Medical college of Paris. In 1974, the pope Jean-Paul II asks him to belong to the pontifical Académie of sciences, then pontifical Conseil for health. In 1981, it is elected with the Academy of Science morals and political and joined, two years later, in 1983, the national Academy of medicine. It becomes, in 1994, the first president of the pontifical Académie for the life creates by Jean-Paul II the same year

Jerome Lejeune is persuaded that very advanced towards the cure of a chromosomal disease will also allow to look after the others. He indeed hopes to be able to cure one day all the patients who come to consult it whole world.

Whereas it wishes to see the fruits of its research allowing the projection of medicine in the way of the cure, it realizes that those are used at ends which he disapproves: early tracking of the embryos carrying these diseases in order to facilitate the medical interruption of pregnancy (IMG). It makes the decision then to defend the ill children publicly, of their design to their end-of-life natural, while engaging against the abortion. He becomes honorary president of S.O.S-future mothers, being opposed to the Avortement and the Mifépristone (abortive pill) which he describes as “first human pesticide”.

Reward

Professor Lejeune was named Honorary doctor, member or prize winner many other academies, universities or learned societies foreign. Professor Lejeune received many prices for his work on chromosomal pathologies, among which: the Kennedy price in 1962, the Price William Allan in 1969 and the Griffuel price in 1993 for its work pioneers on the chromosomal anomalies in cancer.

He dies on April 3rd, 1994 of the continuations of a cancer. The Foundation Jerome-Lejeune, founded after his death by its close relations, continues his action in favor of the mental handicapped people. The pope Jean-Paul II went to collect himself on his tomb at Châlo-Saint-March, on August 22nd, 1997, at the time of the JMJ in Paris.

Family

Married on May 1st, 1952, it had five children (Anouk, wife of a professor of philosophy of the Stanislas College of Paris, Damien, Karin, Clara Lejeune-Gaymard, wife of the former minister Herve Gaymard) and Thomas), and 27 grandchildren.

Beatification

The lawsuit in Béatification of Professor Lejeune is open. The postulator of the cause is the prior of the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Wandrille, the Father Jean-Charles Nault. The opening of the investigation diocésaine was made on June 28th, 2007.

Appendices

Quotations

“knowledge is only the true genius of humanity”

“It is not the medicine which it is necessary to fear, but the madness of the men. Our capacity to modify nature by using its laws, increases each day of the experiment of those which preceded us. But to use this capacity with wisdom, here what each generation must learn in its turn. Admittedly, we are today more powerful than formerly, but not better advised: technology is cumulative, wisdom is not it. ”

“It is necessary to clearly say the things, the quality of a civilization is measured with the respect which it carries to weakest of its members. There are not other criteria of judgment. ”

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