[Geneva aspects of the Lyssenko affair (recollections of a witness)].
T. Lyssenko (1898-1976) was an Ukrainian agricultural expert who defended and tried to proof the inheritance of acquired characteristics. He rejected the validity of the chromosome theory of heredity inspired by Mendel and Morgan and finally came to the top of the scientific authorities of Soviet biology. Since 1948 he was known in the Western countries, and a few scientists adopted his views, especially in France, Belgium and Geneva. At the Institute of Botany of the University of Geneva several papers inspired by him were written and a doctoral thesis; a public debate also took place in 1949. Lyssenko lost power in the sixties and since then has lost credibility everywhere.
Paunier
J P
JP
D005823:Genetics / Q000266:history*; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D013557:Switzerland; D014455:Ukraine