Monique Adolphe (23 July 1932 – 27 June 2022) was a French scientist and researcher into the field of

cell biology Cell biology (also cellular biology or cytology) is a branch of biology that studies the structure, function, and behavior of cells. All living organisms are made of cells. A cell is the basic unit of life that is responsible for the living an ...

. She was one of the pioneers of

cell culture Cell culture or tissue culture is the process by which cell (biology), cells are grown under controlled conditions, generally outside of their natural environment. After cells of interest have been Cell isolation, isolated from living tissue, ...

''in vitro'' and its applications in

alternatives to animal testing Alternatives to animal testing are the development and implementation of test methods that avoid the use of live animals. There is widespread agreement that a reduction in the number of animals used and the refinement of testing to reduce suffer ...

. She is an '' Officier de la Légion d'honneur'' and has received several other important decorations and distinctions (see below).

Biography

Monique Adolphe was born in Paris on 23 July 1932. After her pharmacological internship at the

Hôtel-Dieu de Paris In French-speaking countries, a hôtel-Dieu () was originally a hospital for the poor and needy, run by the Catholic Church. Nowadays these buildings or institutions have either kept their function as a hospital, the one in Paris being the oldest an ...

under Jean Cheymol's supervision in the 1950s, Monique Adolphe orientated, in 1960, her researches in the field of

. With Paul Lechat she was an ardent advocate of alternative methods to

animal testing Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation, animal research, and ''in vivo'' testing, is the use of animals, as model organisms, in experiments that seek answers to scientific and medical questions. This approach can be contrasted ...

by promoting the use of ''

in vitro ''In vitro'' (meaning ''in glass'', or ''in the glass'') Research, studies are performed with Cell (biology), cells or biological molecules outside their normal biological context. Colloquially called "test-tube experiments", these studies in ...

'' techniques, while recognising the limits of these methods. Much of her research career has been devoted to the study of

cartilage Cartilage is a resilient and smooth type of connective tissue. Semi-transparent and non-porous, it is usually covered by a tough and fibrous membrane called perichondrium. In tetrapods, it covers and protects the ends of long bones at the joints ...

and

chondrocyte Chondrocytes (, ) are the only cells found in healthy cartilage. They produce and maintain the cartilaginous matrix, which consists mainly of collagen and proteoglycans. Although the word '' chondroblast'' is commonly used to describe an immatu ...

biology. As Research Director of the Laboratory of Cellular Pharmacology of the ''

École pratique des hautes études The (), abbreviated EPHE, is a French postgraduate top level educational institution, a . EPHE is a constituent college of the Université PSL (together with ENS Ulm, Paris Dauphine or Ecole des Mines). The college is closely linked to É ...

'' until 1997, she trained dozens of young scientists in cell culture methods. In 1986 she founded the ''Société de pharmaco-toxicologie cellulaire'' ("Society of Cellular Pharmaco-Toxicology") (SPTC). From 1990 to 1994 she was president of the ''École pratique des hautes études''. On 7 January 2009 she became Chair of the ''Académie Nationale de Pharmacie'' ("National Academy of Pharmacy") for one year—the first woman to hold this position since the Academy was created in 1803. Adolphe died in Paris on 27 June 2022, at the age of 89.

Honours

* Member of the

Académie Nationale de Médecine Situated at 16 Rue Bonaparte in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, the Académie nationale de médecine (National Academy of Medicine) was created in 1820 by King Louis XVIII at the urging of baron Antoine Portal. At its inception, the institu ...

(elected 2001) * Honorary member of the National Academy of Pharmacy (elected in 1984, Honorary since 2002); Vice-President since March 2008; Chair since January 2009 * Honorary member of th
European Society for Toxicology in Vitro
* Foreign honorary member of the Académie royale de médecine de BelgiqueMonique Adolphe
on the website of the Académie royale de médecine de Belgique. * Honorary President of the Society of cellular pharmaco-toxicology * Honorary President of the European Society of tissue culture * Officier de la

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

* Commander of the

Order of Merit The Order of Merit () is an order of merit for the Commonwealth realms, recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or the promotion of culture. Established in 1902 by Edward VII, admission into the order r ...

* Commandeur des

Palmes Académiques Palmes is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Sir Brian Palmes, English landowner and politician * Sir Guy Palmes, English politician * Brian Palmes MP * Lieutenant General Francis Palmes * Major Billie Palmes * Captain Laurence P ...

Bibliography

''Translator's note: Many of these works are in French.'' *''Pharmacologie moléculaire'', Yves Cohen with Monique Adolphe (et al.), ed. Masson, 1978. *''Advances in Physiological Sciences'', Vol. 10: Chemotherapy, Monique Adolphe, Publisher: Franklin Book Company, Inc, 1979. . *''Culture de cellules animales'', Monique Adolphe and Georgia Barlovatz-Meimon, ed.

INSERM The (Inserm, ) is the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research. History and organisation Inserm was created in 1964 as a successor to the French National Institute of Health. Inserm is the only public research institution ...

, 1987. *''Méthodes in vitro en pharmaco-toxicologie'', Monique Adolphe and André Guillouzo, ed. INSERM, 1988, . *''Biological Regulations of the Chondrocytes'', Monique Adolphe, Publisher: CRC Pr Llc, 1992. . *''Culture de cellules animales'', Georgia Barlovatz-Meimon and Monique Adolphe, ed.

, 2003. .

References

''Translator's note: These are in French.''

External links

''Translator's note: These are in French.''
Monique Adolphe sur le site officiel de l'Académie nationale de pharmacie
{{DEFAULTSORT:Adolphe, Monique 1932 births 2022 deaths Scientists from Paris French women biologists French pharmacologists Officers of the Legion of Honour Academic staff of the École pratique des hautes études Commanders of the Ordre national du Mérite Commandeurs of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques Women pharmacologists University of Paris alumni