Houdebine used the GFP gene found in the jellyfish, Aequorea victoria, that fluoresces green when exposed to blue light.
This article generated a global media scandal, which caused Houdebine to distance himself from Kac's work.
[3] All subsequent media articles present variations on Houdebine's disengagement effort.
In 2002, a US reporter called INRA (France), where Houdebine works, and was told that Alba had died.
"[1] In the 2007 European Molecular Biology Organization Members Meeting in Barcelona, Louis-Marie Houdebine presented in detail his version of the reality of 'the GFP rabbit story', placing emphasis on sensationalism by journalists and the TV media.