| August 2009 |
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It is with deep sorrow that we at Vita (Europe) Ltd report that our good friend and colleague, Dr Jérôme Trouiller, suddenly passed away during a vacation with his family. |
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| Jérôme was a well-respected biochemist and honeybee researcher with many publications to his name. But more than that, he was a tremendous beekeeping enthusiast, a good personal friend and a very special colleague. His innovative nature has been an essential spark in the life of Vita and we shall miss him immensely. |
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| Born in Argenteuil, France in 1962, Jérôme became a biochemist and studied at the University of Paris 7, completing his PhD on honeybee brood pheromones and Varroa mite attractants in 1993. In a post-doctoral post at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, he was able to specialise in honeybee and Varroa mite biochemistry |
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| I met Jérôme in 1994 when he had just returned to France from Canada and, and, seeing a keen talent, we helped arrange a post-doctoral position at the University of Udine, Italy, to work on Varroa mite resistance and monitoring. |
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| Although he spoke little Italian at the time, Jérôme jumped at the chance and took his wife and young daughter with him to live and work in Udine for three years. He was an intelligent and very capable researcher, fascinated by honeybee biology – something he would dedicate himself to for the rest of his working life. |
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| In Professor Norberto Milani’s department of applied biology at Udine, Jérôme quickly learned many important techniques. As well as his important work on Varroa resistance monitoring, Jérôme helped organise field trials for Vita’s then developmental product Apiguard. |
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| With his family, he learned Italian as he went. They immersed themselves in the country and, as he would often remark, it was impossible for them not to speak the language. They made many good friends in Italy and the contacts were kept when they returned to France three years later and Jérôme joined the Vita team as Technical Manager at Vita-Swarm SAS (then known as Swarm SA) in Bougival, Paris. |
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| Jérôme’s enthusiasm for beekeeping meant that he often became completely absorbed in development projects. His keen eye for accuracy meant that he would not be content until he had discovered the root of a problem and solved it completely |
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| He is survived by his wife and three children, and our thoughts are constantly with them at this time. |
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| About Vita (Europe) Ltd |
Vita (Europe) Ltd is a mite control and honeybee health
specialist based in the UK and operating across the globe.
Vita researches, develops, manufactures and markets acaricide
products and is the world's dominant supplier of honeybee
health products to the honey and pollination industries. |
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In the development of new and ecologically-sensitive
approaches to mite pest control, Vita collaborates with universities
including Cardiff, Milan, Udine and institutes including
the Tierhygienisches Institut (Institute of Animal Health)
in Freiburg, Germany, the UK Central Science Laboratory and
the USDA in America. Vita's innovative research and development
work has received support from the UK Government. |
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| Vita’s
products are available through a network of 60
distributors in 50 countries and have been registered by
more than 60 veterinary authorities. Its
product range includes anti-varroa acaricides (Apistan
(outside the USA/Canada) and Apiguard), chalkbrood and
wax moth controls, and foulbrood diagnostic kits) and two
health-promoting feeds. All the control products are designed
as elements of Integrated Pest Management programmes to
inhibit the build-up of resistance and wherever possible
use natural compounds and biological controls that are
benign to all but the target pests. |
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| As a result of its primary research of natural control agents,
Vita is currently engaged in new projects exploring mite control
in the agricultural, veterinary, and horticultural industries
as well as public health and human allergen control. |
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| Media Enquiries |
Stephen Fleming at Palam Communications
Tel +44 (0) 1635 299116
Email sfleming@palam.co.uk
Web www.palam.co.uk |
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| General Enquiries |
Jeremy Owen
Vita (Europe) Ltd
Tel +44 (0)1256 473 176
Email j.owen@vita-europe.com
Web www.vita-europe.com |
