Étienne-Émile Baulieu (; 12 December 1926 – 30 May 2025) was a French

biochemist Biochemists are scientists who are trained in biochemistry. They study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. Biochemists study DNA, proteins and Cell (biology), cell parts. The word "biochemist" is a portmanteau of ...

and

endocrinologist Endocrinology (from ''endocrine'' + '' -ology'') is a branch of biology and medicine dealing with the endocrine system, its diseases, and its specific secretions known as hormones. It is also concerned with the integration of developmental events ...

who was best known for his research in the field of

steroid hormone A steroid hormone is a steroid that acts as a hormone. Steroid hormones can be grouped into two classes: corticosteroids (typically made in the adrenal cortex, hence ''cortico-'') and sex steroids (typically made in the gonads or placenta). Wit ...

s and their role in

reproduction Reproduction (or procreation or breeding) is the biological process by which new individual organisms – "offspring" – are produced from their "parent" or parents. There are two forms of reproduction: Asexual reproduction, asexual and Sexual ...

and

aging Ageing (or aging in American English) is the process of becoming Old age, older until death. The term refers mainly to humans, many other animals, and fungi; whereas for example, bacteria, perennial plants and some simple animals are potentiall ...

. He has been nicknamed the “father” of the abortion pill mainly as a result of his work on the abortion-inducing drug RU486 (Mifepristone). Baulieu also worked to determine if

dehydroepiandrosterone Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), also known as androstenolone, is an endogenous steroid hormone precursor. It is one of the most abundant circulating steroids in humans. DHEA is produced in the adrenal glands, the gonads, and the brain. It funct ...

(DHEA) was a prohormone and if it and other hormonal substitutions also increased

longevity Longevity may refer to especially long-lived members of a population, whereas ''life expectancy'' is defined Statistics, statistically as the average number of years remaining at a given age. For example, a population's life expectancy at birth ...

in humans.

Early life and education

Baulieu was born Émile Blum to

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

parents in Strasbourg, France, on 12 December 1926. His father, who died when Baulieu was four, was Léon Blum, a

physician A physician, medical practitioner (British English), medical doctor, or simply doctor is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through the Medical education, study, Med ...

and an early specialist in diabetes. Baulieu changed his name during World War II when his family fled to the area near

Grenoble Grenoble ( ; ; or ; or ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of the Isère Departments of France, department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regions of France, region ...

and he engaged in the

French resistance The French Resistance ( ) was a collection of groups that fought the German military administration in occupied France during World War II, Nazi occupation and the Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy#France, collaborationist Vic ...

. After the war, he attended the Faculté de Médecine de Paris and became a physician in 1955. He studied further under his mentor Max Fernand Jayle (1913–1978) in the field of

s and obtained his PhD in 1963 at the Faculté de Médecine and Faculté des Sciences in Paris.

Career

In 1963 Baulieu was named a research director (equivalent to a research full professor) at INSERM, and in 1970 he became a professor of

Biochemistry Biochemistry, or biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. A sub-discipline of both chemistry and biology, biochemistry may be divided into three fields: structural biology, enzymology, a ...

at the Faculty of Medicine of Bicêtre, affiliated with

University of Paris The University of Paris (), known Metonymy, metonymically as the Sorbonne (), was the leading university in Paris, France, from 1150 to 1970, except for 1793–1806 during the French Revolution. Emerging around 1150 as a corporation associated wit ...

-South. Since 2004, Baulieu was a member of the French "Ethical Advisory Committee" ( Comité Consultatif National d'Ethique) for science and health. He was also associated with the "Institute of Longevity and Aging" (L'Institut de la longévité, des vieillesses et du vieillissement). In 2008, he started the ''Institut Baulieu'', a research program to study and treat

neurodegenerative disease A neurodegenerative disease is caused by the progressive loss of neurons, in the process known as neurodegeneration. Neuronal damage may also ultimately result in their death. Neurodegenerative diseases include amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, mul ...

s, and foster research into healthy

. He served as president of the French Academy of Sciences and as a member of the United States' National Academy of Sciences.

Research

Baulieu had an ongoing interest in

(DHEA). In 1960 he demonstrated that DHEA was the main adrenal

androgen An androgen (from Greek ''andr-'', the stem of the word meaning ) is any natural or synthetic steroid hormone that regulates the development and maintenance of male characteristics in vertebrates by binding to androgen receptors. This includes ...

, was largely conjugated as a hydrophilic

sulfate The sulfate or sulphate ion is a polyatomic anion with the empirical formula . Salts, acid derivatives, and peroxides of sulfate are widely used in industry. Sulfates occur widely in everyday life. Sulfates are salts of sulfuric acid and many ...

, and described its

metabolism Metabolism (, from ''metabolē'', "change") is the set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms. The three main functions of metabolism are: the conversion of the energy in food to energy available to run cellular processes; the co ...

and functions. He worked to uncover the production of

estrogen Estrogen (also spelled oestrogen in British English; see spelling differences) is a category of sex hormone responsible for the development and regulation of the female reproductive system and secondary sex characteristics. There are three ...

s by the

placenta The placenta (: placentas or placentae) is a temporary embryonic and later fetal organ that begins developing from the blastocyst shortly after implantation. It plays critical roles in facilitating nutrient, gas, and waste exchange between ...

during pregnancy and this led to the concept of DHEA being a " prohormone". Upon the invitation of Seymour Lieberman, Baulieu became a visiting scientist at Columbia University in 1961–1962, and during this time he met Gregory Pincus, the father of the "

birth control pill The combined oral contraceptive pill (COCP), often referred to as the birth control pill or colloquially as "the pill", is a type of birth control that is designed to be taken orally by women. It is the oral form of combined hormonal contra ...

". Baulieu then turned to more studies in

contraception Birth control, also known as contraception, anticonception, and fertility control, is the use of methods or devices to prevent pregnancy. Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth control only be ...

and in the regulation of fertility and pregnancy. He became a pioneer in the description of intracellular sex steroid receptors and identified major intracellular participants such as the

heat shock protein Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are a family of proteins produced by cells in response to exposure to stressful conditions. They were first described in relation to heat shock, but are now known to also be expressed during other stresses including ex ...

s. He worked on the

progesterone receptor The progesterone receptor (PR), also known as NR3C3 or nuclear receptor subfamily 3, group C, member 3, is a protein found inside cells. It is activated by the steroid hormone progesterone. In humans, PR is encoded by a single ''PGR'' gene resi ...

and

androgen receptor The androgen receptor (AR), also known as NR3C4 (nuclear receptor subfamily 3, group C, member 4), is a type of nuclear receptor that is activated by binding any of the androgenic hormones, including testosterone and dihydrotestosterone, in th ...

. While steroid receptors are generally found within the cell, Baulieu identified a membrane receptor for a steroid hormone in '' Xenopus laevis''.

Neurosteroids

Baulieu discovered that DHEA and

pregnenolone Pregnenolone (P5), or pregn-5-en-3β-ol-20-one, is an endogenous steroid and precursor/metabolic intermediate in the biosynthesis of most of the steroid hormones, including the progestogens, androgens, estrogens, glucocorticoids, and mineraloc ...

are produced in the

brain The brain is an organ (biology), organ that serves as the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. It consists of nervous tissue and is typically located in the head (cephalization), usually near organs for ...

and introduced the term " neurosteroids" in 1981. These steroids are active in the nervous system, help repair

myelin Myelin Sheath ( ) is a lipid-rich material that in most vertebrates surrounds the axons of neurons to insulate them and increase the rate at which electrical impulses (called action potentials) pass along the axon. The myelinated axon can be lik ...

, protect the nervous system, and enhance memory. Such agents may prove to be useful in the maintenance of brain function during age, and Baulieu suggested that use of DHEA in the elderly may ameliorate certain age-associated deficits including memory loss and depressive mood. Baulieu conducted clinical research about the potential benefits of DHEA in the elderly population.

RU486

Baulieu was known worldwide for his work on RU486 (Mifepristone) and has been termed the "father" of the abortion pill. Baulieu, who had identified the progesterone receptor, suggested to Roussel-Uclaf to modify the progesterone molecule to create an anti-progesterone. Georges Teutsch then synthesized an agent that became initially known as RU486 in 1980. Baulieu investigated the actions of this agent as an anti-

progesterone Progesterone (; P4) is an endogenous steroid and progestogen sex hormone involved in the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and embryogenesis of humans and other species. It belongs to a group of steroid hormones called the progestogens and is the ma ...

steroid that proved to be able to induce early abortion, and became more effective in conjunction with

misoprostol Misoprostol is a synthetic prostaglandin medication used to prevent and treat stomach and duodenal ulcers, induce labor, cause an abortion, and treat postpartum bleeding due to poor contraction of the uterus. It is taken by mouth when used ...

. As a proponent of a nonsurgical approach to

abortion Abortion is the early termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. Abortions that occur without intervention are known as miscarriages or "spontaneous abortions", and occur in roughly 30–40% of all pregnan ...

, Baulieu became an advocate for RU486 even when the company withdrew from the product and propelled him into the limelight of the

abortion debate The abortion debate is a longstanding and contentious discourse that touches on the moral, legal, medical, and religious aspects of induced abortion. In English-speaking countries, the debate has two major sides, commonly referred to as the "pro- ...

. As an anti-progesterone, RU486 also has other potential such as in the treatment of certain conditions (breast cancer, brain cancer, endometriosis, diabetes, hypertension), and the anti-

cortisol Cortisol is a steroid hormone in the glucocorticoid class of hormones and a stress hormone. When used as medication, it is known as hydrocortisone. Cortisol is produced in many animals, mainly by the ''zona fasciculata'' of the adrenal corte ...

activity he discovered may be useful to manage depression or

Cushing's syndrome Cushing's syndrome is a collection of signs and symptoms due to prolonged exposure to glucocorticoids such as cortisol. Signs and symptoms may include high blood pressure, abdominal obesity but with thin arms and legs, reddish stretch marks, ...

Longevity

Baulieu took increasing interest in what he called the "

revolution", that people are living longer, and its implications. As part of this, he investigated the potential of hormonal substitution such as DHEA to increase well-being in old age. The "Institute Baulieu" was started in 2008 to address issues that are detrimental to health in older people. One focus of research in the 2020s is finding ways to decrease the problems of the elderly to function independently.

Death

Baulieu died at his home in Paris, on 30 May 2025, at the age of 98.

Honours and awards

* 1967 Chevalier of the

Ordre national du Mérite The (; ) is a French order of merit with membership awarded by the President of the French Republic, founded on 3 December 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle. The reason for the order's establishment was twofold: to replace the large number of ...

* 1982

French Academy of Sciences The French Academy of Sciences (, ) is a learned society, founded in 1666 by Louis XIV at the suggestion of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to encourage and protect the spirit of French Scientific method, scientific research. It was at the forefron ...

, President, 2003–04 * 1989 Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research * 1990

National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, NGO, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the ...

* 1990 Grand Officer of the

Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

* 1990 Golden Plate Award of the

American Academy of Achievement The American Academy of Achievement, colloquially known as the Academy of Achievement, is a nonprofit educational organization that recognizes some of the highest-achieving people in diverse fields and gives them the opportunity to meet one ano ...

* 2002 French Academy of Medicine * 2023, Grand Cross of the

Legion of Honor The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and civil. Currently consisting of five classes, it was ...

Bibliography

* Baulieu EE, Kelly PA (1990). ''Hormones: From Molecules to Disease''. Springer. . * Baulieu EE (1990). ''Etienne-Émile Baulieu'' . Paris: Génération Pilule. . Autobiography. * Baulieu EE (1991). ''Abortion Pill''. Simon & Schuster. . * Baulieu EE (1999). ''Neurosteroids: A New Regulatory Function in the Nervous System''. Humana Press. .

References

External links

*
An interview with Étienne-Émile Baulieu about his research (French)

''Étienne-Émile Baulieu: fragments de vie et de recherche'' A portrait of Étienne-Émile Baulieu by BioTV (French)

Lecture on Aging and Hormones
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baulieu, Etienne-Emile 1926 births 2025 deaths French endocrinologists French biochemists French Resistance members 20th-century French Jews 21st-century French Jews Academic staff of the Collège de France Grand Officers of the Legion of Honour Officers of the French Academy of Sciences Lycée Pasteur (Neuilly-sur-Seine) alumni Foreign associates of the National Academy of Sciences Members of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts Recipients of the Lasker–DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award Inserm directors