Tribute event for Professor Grancher on November 7

To mark the 120th anniversary of the "Œuvre Grancher," founded on November 7, 1903 by Professor Jacques-Joseph Grancher, the Grancher Foundation has joined forces with the Institut Pasteur to honor the memory of this committed Institut Pasteur scientist, a great phtisiologist, pediatrician and philanthropist, who left his mark on history.

The "eminent Professor Grancher," as he was known, was a close friend and associate of Louis Pasteur and played a decisive part in rabies vaccination. He was a strong advocate of Louis Pasteur's research on the deadly virus and, along with Edmé Vulpian, managed to convince him to test his vaccine on a human subject. Joseph Meister, a boy from Alsace who had been bitten by a dog and had no hope of recovery, was given 13 injections of the vaccine by Jacques-Joseph Grancher, who took full responsibility for the inoculation as Louis Pasteur was not a doctor.

After the success of the rabies vaccine, Jacques-Joseph Grancher was actively involved in the creation of the Institut Pasteur and was invited to give the opening address at the inauguration ceremony in 1888. He became President of the Institut Pasteur in 1905.

Jacques-Joseph Grancher was a pioneer in the use of antiseptic techniques in medicine, and his pediatric department at Necker Hospital was seen as a model. He was also a forerunner in detecting and treating tuberculosis.

Towards the end of his life, he took inspiration from Louis Pasteur's work on silkworms to establish the "Œuvre Grancher" association, which aimed to protect children from tuberculosis by sending them to foster families in the countryside, far away from clusters of infection. In the 1970s, the association turned its attention to finding homes for children separated from their parents as part of the wider child protection movement.

In the 1990s, a new extension of the Œuvre Grancher was set up. The first case of a child with AIDS was confirmed at Necker Hospital in 1984. In November 1992, the Œuvre Grancher extension opened 10 spaces in foster homes in Paris for children with HIV.
In 2001, the Œuvre Grancher changed its name to the Grancher Foundation.

To pay tribute to Jacques-Joseph Grancher for his remarkable and wide-ranging achievements, Stewart Cole, President of the Institut Pasteur, and Philippe Bordenave, President of the Grancher Foundation, are pleased to invite you to a special morning event on November 7.

The event will be an opportunity to highlight the work of Jacques-Joseph Grancher and emphasize the long-standing links between the two institutions.

A round table on Institut Pasteur scientists who rose to the medical-social challenges of their time will also be held.

The event will take place in the Émile Duclaux lecture hall.

 

 

Program (to be finalized):
 
9am: Welcome coffee

9.30am: Introduction to the event by Philippe Bordenave and Stewart Cole (10 mins.)

9.40am: Screening of the film Il était une fois Jacques-Joseph Grancher…

9.50-10.30am: Tributes from institutions and associations

10.30am-12pm: Round table: "Institut Pasteur scientists: key figures who rose to the medical-social challenges of their time"

12pm: Cocktail reception

 

The event is free but prior registration is required; please email
communication@fondation-grancher.org

The deadline for registration is October 15, 2023.