Lwoff

André Lwoff (1902–1994) was a French microbiologist noted for his work on bacteriophages and the genetic regulation of enzyme synthesis. He shared the 1965 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Jacques Monod and François Jacob for discoveries concerning genetic control of enzyme synthesis. Lwoff’s research contributed to early ideas about how genes are regulated within cells and helped establish the concept of lysogeny, wherein a bacteriophage genome can reside in a bacterial host without immediate production of new viruses.

His work focused on the biology of viruses and bacteria, particularly the interactions between phages and their hosts and the regulatory circuits that govern viral and cellular gene expression. Lwoff and his collaborators helped elucidate how environmental and cellular conditions influence whether enzymes are produced, foreshadowing later molecular approaches in biology.

Most of his career was spent at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, where he conducted foundational research and mentored numerous scientists. He published widely on virology, bacteriology, and the regulatory mechanisms controlling enzyme synthesis, contributing to the broader understanding of how gene expression is controlled in microbial systems.

Lwoff’s legacy lies in his role in shaping the modern view of genetic regulation and viral-bacterial interactions. Alongside Monod and Jacob, he helped lay the groundwork for molecular biology, emphasizing that cellular processes are governed by regulatory networks that coordinate enzyme production and other gene-driven activities.