Soviet-French scientific links in the field of molecular biology and biochemistry: Interview with Academician Olga I. Lavrik
The article is an interview with a prominent Russian biochemist, Academician Olga I. Lavrik, whose reminiscences are devoted to Soviet-French scientific links in the field of molecular biology and biochemistry. A Novosibirsk University graduate, O. Lavrik was a postgraduate student of Academician D.G. Knorre. She has made a very significant contribution to the Soviet-Russian- French cooperation. The hero of our interview visited France many times. She worked in leading French laboratories and universities and was personally acquainted with the outstanding French scientists. The interview describes the role of Soviet and French researchers in the development of cooperation in the field of molecular biology and biochemistry. In particular, O. Lavrik talks about her friendship with M. Grunberg-Manago and J.-P. Ebel. She also shares her impression of Soviet- French symposiums. At the same time, the interview touches upon the difficulties that hindered international contacts. For example, O. Lavrik, like many other Soviet scientists, was unable to travel abroad for many years. In the 1990s, however, Russian scientists faced new challenges and O. Lavrik shared her experience of overcoming these problems. The author has supplemented this interview with an introductory article and commented on the main points in the interview with the help of the literature, other sources and biographical notes.