Born in Paris, March 12, 1932.
Training and professional career
- 1954-1981 : Researcher, Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS)
 - 1956 : Bachelor's degree in biological sciences, Faculty of Science, Paris
 - 1960 : Doctorate in physical sciences, Paris Faculty of Science
 - 1974 : Director of Research, CNRS
 - 1981-2002 : Professor at the Collège de France, Chair of Cellular Bioenergetics
 - 1983-1985 : Member of the French Higher Council for Research and Technology
 - 1985-1986 : Scientific advisor to the Prime Minister
 - 1987-1992 : Director of the Biology Department at the École normale supérieure (Ulm)
 - 1991-1994 : Member of the Comité national de l'évaluation de la recherche (National Committee for Research Evaluation)
 - 1992 : Member of the CNRS Scientific Council
 - 1993-1997 : Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board, École normale supérieure de Lyon
 - 1994-1996 : Director, Institut de biologie physico-chimique
 - 1997-2000 : Director of IFR 550
 - 1998-2001 : Chairman of the CNRS Science Ethics Committee - COMETS
 
Awards and honors
- 1968 : Policard-Laccasagne Prize from the French Academy of Sciences
 - 1979 : Associate Member of the National Academy of Sciences USA
 - 1980 : Commissariat à l'énergie atomique prize
 - 1982 : CNRS Gold Medal
 - 1982 : Member of the Institut de France
 - 1989 : Member of the Academia Europea
 - 1992 : Member of the European Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters
 - 1994 : Commandeur de l'ordre national du Mérite
 - 2001 : Commandeur de la Légion d'honneur