Jérôme Lejeune
Encyclopedia
Servant of God
Jérôme Jean Louis Marie Lejeune (Montrouge
, France
; June 13, 1926-April 3, 1994) was a French
Catholic
pro-life
paediatrician and geneticist
, best known for his discovery of the link of diseases to chromosome abnormalities
. He developed the karyotype.
Lejeune had made his career specializing in the treatment of children with Trisomy 21, also called Down syndrome
, and attended a Copenhagen
meeting of scientists where Albert Levan's discovery of the number of human chromosomes was discussed. Afterwards, it occurred to Marthe Gautier, a young doctor in the Raymond Turpin's laboratory, to check the number of chromosome
s in Down syndrome patients. After taking a skin biopsy from one of his patients, Gautier, using borrowed equipment discovered that children with the disease have an extra copy (called a trisomy
) of a chromosome. Lejeune discovered the fact that the extra copy was in the chromosome 21. He spent the remainder of his life researching a cure for Trisomy 21. He said, "it would take less effort to find a cure for the disease than to send a man to the moon." He also diagnosed the first case of Cri du chat
syndrome, or 5p deletion syndrome, in 1963.
He was a friend of Pope John Paul II
. They had met hours before the assassination attempt on the Pope's life on May 13, 1981 when Lejeune was in Rome for a genetics meeting and the two were discussing ethics. Pope John Paul II appointed Dr Lejeune to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, and created the Pontifical Academy for Life
http://www.cardinalrating.com/cardinal_161__article_1222.htm, making Dr. Lejeune president just prior to his death of cancer in Paris in 1994. He has been named "Servant of God" and his cause for sainthood is being postulated by the Abbey of Saint Wandrille
in France.
His daughter Clara Lejeune-Gaymard is presently President of General-Electric (France). She is married to the former Minister of Finances Hervé Gaymard
. Clara wrote biographical memoirs of her father, in the book, "Life is a Blessing" ISBN 978-0-935372-59-5. His daughter Anouk Lejeune Meyer, a professor of languages, married to Dr. Jean Marie Meyer, professor of philosophy, have 7 children. The couple have served two terms on the Pontifical Council of the Family.
Servant of God
Servant of God is a title given to individuals by various religions, but in general the phrase is used to describe a person believed to be pious in his or her faith tradition. In the Catholic Church, it designates someone who is being investigated by the Church for possibly being recognized as a...
Jérôme Jean Louis Marie Lejeune (Montrouge
Montrouge
Montrouge is a commune in the southern Parisian suburbs, located from the center of Paris, France. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
; June 13, 1926-April 3, 1994) was a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
paediatrician and geneticist
Geneticist
A geneticist is a biologist who studies genetics, the science of genes, heredity, and variation of organisms. A geneticist can be employed as a researcher or lecturer. Some geneticists perform experiments and analyze data to interpret the inheritance of skills. A geneticist is also a Consultant or...
, best known for his discovery of the link of diseases to chromosome abnormalities
Chromosome abnormalities
A chromosome anomaly, abnormality or aberration reflects an atypical number of chromosomes or a structural abnormality in one or more chromosomes. A Karyotype refers to a full set of chromosomes from an individual which can be compared to a "normal" Karyotype for the species via genetic testing. A...
. He developed the karyotype.
Lejeune had made his career specializing in the treatment of children with Trisomy 21, also called Down syndrome
Down syndrome
Down syndrome, or Down's syndrome, trisomy 21, is a chromosomal condition caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 21st chromosome. It is named after John Langdon Down, the British physician who described the syndrome in 1866. The condition was clinically described earlier in the 19th...
, and attended a Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
meeting of scientists where Albert Levan's discovery of the number of human chromosomes was discussed. Afterwards, it occurred to Marthe Gautier, a young doctor in the Raymond Turpin's laboratory, to check the number of chromosome
Chromosome
A chromosome is an organized structure of DNA and protein found in cells. It is a single piece of coiled DNA containing many genes, regulatory elements and other nucleotide sequences. Chromosomes also contain DNA-bound proteins, which serve to package the DNA and control its functions.Chromosomes...
s in Down syndrome patients. After taking a skin biopsy from one of his patients, Gautier, using borrowed equipment discovered that children with the disease have an extra copy (called a trisomy
Trisomy
A trisomy is a type of polysomy in which there are three copies, instead of the normal two, of a particular chromosome. A trisomy is a type of aneuploidy .-Description and causes:...
) of a chromosome. Lejeune discovered the fact that the extra copy was in the chromosome 21. He spent the remainder of his life researching a cure for Trisomy 21. He said, "it would take less effort to find a cure for the disease than to send a man to the moon." He also diagnosed the first case of Cri du chat
Cri du chat
Cri du chat syndrome, also known as chromosome 5p deletion syndrome, 5p minus syndrome or Lejeune’s syndrome, is a rare genetic disorder due to a missing part of chromosome 5. Its name is a French term referring to the characteristic cat-like cry of affected children. It was first described by...
syndrome, or 5p deletion syndrome, in 1963.
He was a friend of Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. They had met hours before the assassination attempt on the Pope's life on May 13, 1981 when Lejeune was in Rome for a genetics meeting and the two were discussing ethics. Pope John Paul II appointed Dr Lejeune to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, and created the Pontifical Academy for Life
Pontifical Academy for Life
The Pontifical Academy for Life or Pontificia Accademia Pro Vita is a Pontifical Academy of the Roman Catholic Church dedicated to promoting the Church's consistent life ethic...
http://www.cardinalrating.com/cardinal_161__article_1222.htm, making Dr. Lejeune president just prior to his death of cancer in Paris in 1994. He has been named "Servant of God" and his cause for sainthood is being postulated by the Abbey of Saint Wandrille
Fontenelle Abbey
Fontenelle Abbey or the Abbey of St. Wandrille is a Benedictine monastery in the commune of Saint-Wandrille-Rançon near Caudebec-en-Caux in Seine-Maritime, Normandy, France.-First foundation:...
in France.
His daughter Clara Lejeune-Gaymard is presently President of General-Electric (France). She is married to the former Minister of Finances Hervé Gaymard
Hervé Gaymard
Hervé Gaymard is a French politician and a member of UMP conservative party. He served as the country's Minister of Finances from 30 November 2004 until his resignation on 25 February 2005....
. Clara wrote biographical memoirs of her father, in the book, "Life is a Blessing" ISBN 978-0-935372-59-5. His daughter Anouk Lejeune Meyer, a professor of languages, married to Dr. Jean Marie Meyer, professor of philosophy, have 7 children. The couple have served two terms on the Pontifical Council of the Family.
External links
- The Jérôme Lejeune Foundation In French (partially translated in English).
- Lejeune Congress(2004)
- Lejeune Institute In French
- careers.geblogs.com