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Acceptance speech for the 1985 Alfred E. Treibs award
1314
The Geochemicaf Society Awards
he undertook an elegant set of laboratory experiments to describe their chemical and microbiological pathways. This work involved delineating both complex steroidal skeletal rearrangements and the mechanistic pathways of aromatization of these compounds. These results have allowed us to now understand the many complicated biological and chemical transformation pathways which steroids and triterpenoids undergo as they are buried in the sedimentary record. For his cantributions to this field, Pierre’s rearranged sterene studies were recognized by the community in the form of the 1975 Best Paper Award from the Ge~hemicaI Society. The results from his steroid and triterpenoid studies have been extended and utilized for oil/oil and oil/source rock correlations and elucidating the biodegradative reactions of petroleum. His recent contributions in polar lipid studies have given us a whole new suite of compounds specific for archaebacteria which can be utilized as source markers in both kerogen and oils and in the contemporary en-
vironments of hydrothermal vents and coastal sediments. The elegant work on porphyrin geochemist5 now ongoing in Pierre’s lab is forming the basis for our future understanding of the detailed, complex transformations for chlorophyll, from its production in the surface waters of the ocean to its presence in ancient sediments as petroporphyrins. The more I review his work, the more I rcairre hw much of an effect his research results have had on the thinking of all of us from petroleum geochemists to marine organic chemists. He has set the basic analytical and structural organic chemical standards for the pm\ent-day field of organic geochemistry. This award by the Geochemical Society IS ;i natural recognition of Pierre Albrecht’s distinguished contri. butions to the field of organic geochemistry, Therefore. Mr. President, with a great deal of personal pleasure it is an honor to present to you the 1985 Treibs Award Medalist, Pierre Albrecht, an outstanding scientist. a valued colleague and friend. and a first-class gentleman.
Acceptance speech for the 1985 Alfred E. Treibs Award PIERREALBRECHT*
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: I feel deeply honored to receive the Treibs Medal today and would like to express my sincere thanks to the Geochemical Society for presenting me with this prestigious award. It is clear to me, however, that this award, more than being attributed to one individual. recognizes the contribution of the Strasbourg team as a whole. I would therefore like to thank my former and present collaborators who have contributed to realize this geochemical venture and who should share this honor with me. I would like to pay a special tribute to my teacher and mentor Guy Our&son, a world-renowned organic chemist and pioneer in many interdi~ipIina~ fields. Urged by his colleague geologists Georges Millet and Jacques Lucas he launched a very timely organic geochemistry program at Strasbourg in the mid-sixties. His communicating enthusiasm and wide knowledge of natural products were decisive in its development. Furthermore, his brilliant leadership, as well as the exciting and cosmopohtan atmosphere of his laboratory, no doubt triggered my own vocation as a scientist. I remember quite well, when as the first graduate student in this new field I was asked to look at the organic matter of some “stones” which were supposed to contain traces of steranes and triterpanes. Indeed in those _^.. * Lahoratoire de Chimie Organique des Substances Naturelies, UA 3 1du CNRS, Institut de Chimie, UniversiJ Louis Pasteur, 1, rue Blake Pascal,67008 Strasbourg, France
Pierre Albrecht
days the now famibar biomarket concept was non* existent: thirty years after Alfred Treibs’ fundamental discovery it was in only a few isolated cases that sedimentary molecules had been characterized and the\ were looked at as chemical curiosities.
The Geochemical Society Awards I am also indebted to Geoffrey Eglinton for the short. but very effective period which I spent in his group at the beginning of my doctoral studies. He had then just started to develop the concept now well known as the biomarker-precursor relationship. I greatly benefited from his experience and became rapidly familiar with the geochemical concepts and methods of his laboratory. The stimulating discussions which I had then with two other starting geochemists, James Maxwell and Archie Douglas, are still present in my mind, as are some of the social events related to that period. Althou~ the development of molecular organic geochemistry was greatly advanced by the progress in analytical tools such as coupled gas chromatographymass spectrometry, it should also be borne in mind that the conclusive identification of biological markers had in most cases to rely on chemical synthesis, sometimes by exceedingly time-consuming procedures. I am therefore particularly grateful to those of my collaborators who were active in this aspect of our work. Their efforts were indeed the price that had to be paid for a rational use of biological markers as molecular messengers in a geochemical sense, and was finally the key to the generalization of the biomarker concept and its application in petroleum geochemistry. However, molecular organic geochemistry would have remained a rather restricted field without the active participation of industrial geochemists. Few fields can have benefited so much from constant academicindustrial interactions. In this respect, I would like to mention our privileged and long-term ~lations~p with the Societi Nationale Elf-Aquitaine (Production), in particular with Jacques Connan, head of the Geochemistry section, who was always eager to find new applications for our fundamental research, and provided us with many precious geological samples. No less important over the years were our relations with the Institut Francais du P&role, in particular with the Scientific Director, Bernard Tissot. The many collaborations with these two institutions were indeed decisive in the development of our academic team. It was also very stimulating to see that many of our results were progressively used for exploration work in other industrial teams, in particular by Wolfgang Seifert and Michael Moldowan at Chevron Oil Field Research. Indeed these applications of our fundamental concepts to geological situations were a necessary test of their validity as source, maturity or correlation parameters. My links with this country began a long time ago when 1 started my post-doctoral stay at the University of California in Berkeley in 1970. where I became ac-
1315
quainted with organic synthesis in the laboratory of William Dauben. It is not a small coincidence that my bench neighbor, valued friend and today’s citationist, Robert Gagosian, has in the meantime become a famous oceanographer and geochemist himself. And then, every second year there were the Gordon Research Conferences with their stimulating and relaxed atmosphere. They were a wonderful opportunity to debate the new frontiers of organic geochemistry, as well as to meet many friends from this side of the Atlantic. These conferences and their inherent discussions always acted as a great encouragement in the pursuit and development of our own work. Having started in molecular organic geochemistry in its “immature” stage. I was fortunate to be able to watch the major phases of its development, and to participate actively in some of them. A great effort will probably have to be made in the future on the lesser known poIar fractions of sediments and crude oils, and on the kerogens, as well as on the use of biomarkers in the little elucidated biogeochemical and migration processes. However, quite unexpectedly the biomarker approach has already had an important impact on connecting fields, such as microbial bi~hemist~ where fundamental constituents of cell membranes were discovered due to the earlier recognition of their fossil counterparts. Looking back to the evolution of the last twenty years one may of course regret the loss of the atmosphere of the early days where almost everything was to be discovered and where one could make one’s bibliography and become aware ofthe latest developments by just ringing up a few friends. Organic geochemistry has indeed become an established discipline and has been expanding into many directions with the active participation of more and more scientists from other fields of research. These are the signs of a healthy and successful evolution, and the interest of an increasing number of young people, as we have seen at the last European meeting in Jiilich, certainly warrants organic geochemistry a bright future. In such a diversified interdisciplinary field there is, however, the danger of hy~rspeciaIization and, therefore, a lot will depend upon the continuing ability of organic geochemists with various backgrounds to communicate with each other. Once more let me acknowledge the contributions of my past and present collaborators. Without their enthusiasm, their perseverance and their patience I would not be here today. Finally. I would like to thank again the members of the Committee who selected me as the 1985 recipient of this distinguished award.
The Geochemicaf Society Awards
he undertook an elegant set of laboratory experiments to describe their chemical and microbiological pathways. This work involved delineating both complex steroidal skeletal rearrangements and the mechanistic pathways of aromatization of these compounds. These results have allowed us to now understand the many complicated biological and chemical transformation pathways which steroids and triterpenoids undergo as they are buried in the sedimentary record. For his cantributions to this field, Pierre’s rearranged sterene studies were recognized by the community in the form of the 1975 Best Paper Award from the Ge~hemicaI Society. The results from his steroid and triterpenoid studies have been extended and utilized for oil/oil and oil/source rock correlations and elucidating the biodegradative reactions of petroleum. His recent contributions in polar lipid studies have given us a whole new suite of compounds specific for archaebacteria which can be utilized as source markers in both kerogen and oils and in the contemporary en-
vironments of hydrothermal vents and coastal sediments. The elegant work on porphyrin geochemist5 now ongoing in Pierre’s lab is forming the basis for our future understanding of the detailed, complex transformations for chlorophyll, from its production in the surface waters of the ocean to its presence in ancient sediments as petroporphyrins. The more I review his work, the more I rcairre hw much of an effect his research results have had on the thinking of all of us from petroleum geochemists to marine organic chemists. He has set the basic analytical and structural organic chemical standards for the pm\ent-day field of organic geochemistry. This award by the Geochemical Society IS ;i natural recognition of Pierre Albrecht’s distinguished contri. butions to the field of organic geochemistry, Therefore. Mr. President, with a great deal of personal pleasure it is an honor to present to you the 1985 Treibs Award Medalist, Pierre Albrecht, an outstanding scientist. a valued colleague and friend. and a first-class gentleman.
Acceptance speech for the 1985 Alfred E. Treibs Award PIERREALBRECHT*
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: I feel deeply honored to receive the Treibs Medal today and would like to express my sincere thanks to the Geochemical Society for presenting me with this prestigious award. It is clear to me, however, that this award, more than being attributed to one individual. recognizes the contribution of the Strasbourg team as a whole. I would therefore like to thank my former and present collaborators who have contributed to realize this geochemical venture and who should share this honor with me. I would like to pay a special tribute to my teacher and mentor Guy Our&son, a world-renowned organic chemist and pioneer in many interdi~ipIina~ fields. Urged by his colleague geologists Georges Millet and Jacques Lucas he launched a very timely organic geochemistry program at Strasbourg in the mid-sixties. His communicating enthusiasm and wide knowledge of natural products were decisive in its development. Furthermore, his brilliant leadership, as well as the exciting and cosmopohtan atmosphere of his laboratory, no doubt triggered my own vocation as a scientist. I remember quite well, when as the first graduate student in this new field I was asked to look at the organic matter of some “stones” which were supposed to contain traces of steranes and triterpanes. Indeed in those _^.. * Lahoratoire de Chimie Organique des Substances Naturelies, UA 3 1du CNRS, Institut de Chimie, UniversiJ Louis Pasteur, 1, rue Blake Pascal,67008 Strasbourg, France
Pierre Albrecht
days the now famibar biomarket concept was non* existent: thirty years after Alfred Treibs’ fundamental discovery it was in only a few isolated cases that sedimentary molecules had been characterized and the\ were looked at as chemical curiosities.
The Geochemical Society Awards I am also indebted to Geoffrey Eglinton for the short. but very effective period which I spent in his group at the beginning of my doctoral studies. He had then just started to develop the concept now well known as the biomarker-precursor relationship. I greatly benefited from his experience and became rapidly familiar with the geochemical concepts and methods of his laboratory. The stimulating discussions which I had then with two other starting geochemists, James Maxwell and Archie Douglas, are still present in my mind, as are some of the social events related to that period. Althou~ the development of molecular organic geochemistry was greatly advanced by the progress in analytical tools such as coupled gas chromatographymass spectrometry, it should also be borne in mind that the conclusive identification of biological markers had in most cases to rely on chemical synthesis, sometimes by exceedingly time-consuming procedures. I am therefore particularly grateful to those of my collaborators who were active in this aspect of our work. Their efforts were indeed the price that had to be paid for a rational use of biological markers as molecular messengers in a geochemical sense, and was finally the key to the generalization of the biomarker concept and its application in petroleum geochemistry. However, molecular organic geochemistry would have remained a rather restricted field without the active participation of industrial geochemists. Few fields can have benefited so much from constant academicindustrial interactions. In this respect, I would like to mention our privileged and long-term ~lations~p with the Societi Nationale Elf-Aquitaine (Production), in particular with Jacques Connan, head of the Geochemistry section, who was always eager to find new applications for our fundamental research, and provided us with many precious geological samples. No less important over the years were our relations with the Institut Francais du P&role, in particular with the Scientific Director, Bernard Tissot. The many collaborations with these two institutions were indeed decisive in the development of our academic team. It was also very stimulating to see that many of our results were progressively used for exploration work in other industrial teams, in particular by Wolfgang Seifert and Michael Moldowan at Chevron Oil Field Research. Indeed these applications of our fundamental concepts to geological situations were a necessary test of their validity as source, maturity or correlation parameters. My links with this country began a long time ago when 1 started my post-doctoral stay at the University of California in Berkeley in 1970. where I became ac-
1315
quainted with organic synthesis in the laboratory of William Dauben. It is not a small coincidence that my bench neighbor, valued friend and today’s citationist, Robert Gagosian, has in the meantime become a famous oceanographer and geochemist himself. And then, every second year there were the Gordon Research Conferences with their stimulating and relaxed atmosphere. They were a wonderful opportunity to debate the new frontiers of organic geochemistry, as well as to meet many friends from this side of the Atlantic. These conferences and their inherent discussions always acted as a great encouragement in the pursuit and development of our own work. Having started in molecular organic geochemistry in its “immature” stage. I was fortunate to be able to watch the major phases of its development, and to participate actively in some of them. A great effort will probably have to be made in the future on the lesser known poIar fractions of sediments and crude oils, and on the kerogens, as well as on the use of biomarkers in the little elucidated biogeochemical and migration processes. However, quite unexpectedly the biomarker approach has already had an important impact on connecting fields, such as microbial bi~hemist~ where fundamental constituents of cell membranes were discovered due to the earlier recognition of their fossil counterparts. Looking back to the evolution of the last twenty years one may of course regret the loss of the atmosphere of the early days where almost everything was to be discovered and where one could make one’s bibliography and become aware ofthe latest developments by just ringing up a few friends. Organic geochemistry has indeed become an established discipline and has been expanding into many directions with the active participation of more and more scientists from other fields of research. These are the signs of a healthy and successful evolution, and the interest of an increasing number of young people, as we have seen at the last European meeting in Jiilich, certainly warrants organic geochemistry a bright future. In such a diversified interdisciplinary field there is, however, the danger of hy~rspeciaIization and, therefore, a lot will depend upon the continuing ability of organic geochemists with various backgrounds to communicate with each other. Once more let me acknowledge the contributions of my past and present collaborators. Without their enthusiasm, their perseverance and their patience I would not be here today. Finally. I would like to thank again the members of the Committee who selected me as the 1985 recipient of this distinguished award.