March 17, 2023
Bulletin interne de l'Institut Pasteur
Tribute to François Gros: scientific morning on April 25
François Gros died last year. He was a very distinguished molecular biologist who worked for most of his scientific career at the Pasteur Institute where he was Director from 1976-81.
He participated in the discovery of messenger RNA, with Jacques Monod and François Jacob. During a sabbatical in Jim Watson’s lab at Harvard, using biochemical approaches he showed the presence of an unstable RNA, published in a classic paper - Gros et al. Nature (1961 ) - . This was critical for the development of the messenger RNA concept to which he continued to contribute on his return to the Institut Pasteur. Subsequently, in his own lab he carried out research on mRNA synthesis and translation in bacteria and in eukaryotic systems. He became interested in changes in gene expression during cell differentiation, using muscle cells as a model system and neuronal cells in his second laboratory at the College de France. Throughout his career, he was internationally recognised and respected. Those who worked in his lab greatly benefited from his scientific insight and his generous support.
A meeting in his honour, will take place in the Duclaux lecture theatre of the Institut Pasteur on the morning of the 25th April. The focus will be on RNA - mRNA splicing and translation with recent insights from ribosomal structures, the role of RNAs in transcription, RNAs as guides for gene targeting in the CRISPR system and RNA based vaccines. There will also be talks on myogenesis and on neural stem cell differentiation.
In the afternoon, a meeting at the Academy of Sciences, will honour François Gros’ major contributions to the organisation of scientific research in France and to the national and international activities of the Academy.