Chapter Three - Scientific contributions of Pierre Gadal and his lab—A tribute to Pierre Gadal (1938–2019)

This chapter is dedicated to the memory of Pierre Gadal a former Series Editor for Advances in Botanical Research. Its aim is to describe the research that has been done in his laboratory covering essentially the period 1970–2000 and provides first-hand testimony about how it has been done. Besides the scientific output concerning CO2 and nitrogen assimilation and their regulation described in this chapter Pierre Gadal has been very influential in plant science in France through his interactions with the University system but also with CNRS and INRA communities. Through the organization of the doctorate school in University of Paris-Sud he has helped train hundreds of students, and more specifically concerning his own research group, more than 10 of his former students have become CNRS researchers, many with high positions and responsibilities, a similar number INRA researchers and Professors and Assistant Professors in the University system. Fourteen different colleagues have contributed to this chapter, each with his own perception, heart and guts, a further testimony to the exceptional human and scientific qualities of Pierre.