French biochemist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1965, with Jacques Monod and André Lwoff, for their work on the genetic control of enzyme and virus synthesis. They pioneered research into molecular genetics and showed how the production of proteins from DNA is controlled.
Red and white are traditional colours, dating back to the flag of 19th-century Samoan king, Malietoa Laupepa. The Southern Cross constellation links Samoa to other countries in the southern hemisphere. Effective date: 4 July 1997.