In 1959, Professor Jérôme Lejeune, doctor and researcher, discovered the cause of Down syndrome (trisomy 21).
Subsequently, the Jérôme Lejeune Foundation, which was given public interest status in 1996, has been working for individuals affected by genetic intelligence disorders (Down syndrome, Williams-Beuren syndrome, fragile X syndrome, “cri du chat” syndrome, other trisomies, monosomies and unexplained intellectual disability…).
At the service of the most vulnerable of all and their families, the Jérôme Lejeune Foundation is driven by three objectives: Research, Care, Advocacy.
It implements and supports research programs designed to develop treatments for Down syndrome (trisomy 21) and other intellectual disabilities of genetic origin.
The Jerome Lejeune Foundation is France’s number one funder for research in genetic intelligence disorders; the Foundation develops and funds scientific research in the United States and many other countries around the world.
It created and funded the Jerome Lejeune Institute (hospital), a care centre for specialised medical and paramedical consultations; it defends life and patients’ dignity.
Because it defends life, the Jérôme Lejeune Foundation is highly vigilant about bioethical issues: in a context in which ever-accelerating scientific progress and ideological pressure pose fundamental questions for society, the Foundation provides its scientific expertise together with its ethical values.
