Israel’s Weizmann Institute and France’s “Institut Pasteur” embarked today on a joint program of intensive cancer research. France’s Health Minister Simone Veil said the project “is a symbol of what scientists can do when they place themselves above national ambitions.”
Mrs. Veil was addressing a press conference at which the project was announced. The Minister also said Leonard Bernstein will conduct the French National Orchestra next month at a gala performance to help raise money for the program. The Weizmann-Pasteur project is a private venture but, Mrs. Veil said, it is being conducted within the framework of existing Franco-Israeli scientific agreements.
Nobel Prize winner Francois Jacob said the two institutes would be investigating the relation between embryonic and cancerous cells and study the organic substances which stimulate the production of anti-bodies.
Another Nobel Prize Laureate, Prof. Andre Lwoff, said the two institutes will work separately on complimentary projects. He announced that the two organizations will draw equal shares from the projected fund drive and expressed the hope that all people will realize the importance of the study.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.