The Jules François Golden Medal is awarded every four years by the Board of the International Council of Ophthalmology for ophthalmic work of high scientific quality. 

Honoree: Gisèle Soubrane (Paris-Créteil/F) 

Laudatio: Bruce E. Spivey (ICO President) 

Professor Soubrane obtained her MD degree in 1969 in Paris where she also did her residency under Professor Brégeat and Professor Coscas, followed by a fellowship in medical retina in Créteil. In 1992 she presented her Ph.D. thesis: "Ocular angiogenesis in normal and pathologic eyes. Implication of basic fibroblast growth factor" at the Faculté des Sciences Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris V. In 1987 she became Associate Professor and in 1993 Professor of Ophthalmology at the Eye University Clinic of Paris XII –Créteil. She succeeded Professor Coscas as chair of the department in 1996. 

Professor Soubrane is a world expert on age-related macular degeneration. Her scientific production is impressive with 243 papers in international journals, 85 articles in national ophthalmological journals, and more than 50 chapters in books. She co-authored 6 books or reports of the French Ophthalmological Societies and was the chief editor of the 2007 report on Age-related Macular Degeneration. She was instrumental in one of the first randomized study on laser photocoagulation of subretinal neovascular membranes, studied the natural history of occult new vessels and was the first to describe reticular pseudodrusen. She delivered multiple lectures on her favourite topic all over he world. She serves on the editorial board of Graefes Archives of Ophthalmology, the European Journal of Ophthalmology, the Journal Français d'Ophtalmologie, the British Journal of Ophthalmology and Investigative Ophthalmology and Vision Science. She is past president of the European Board of Ophthalmology and of EVER, she served as Board member of the Gonin Club and as secretary-general of the French Ophthalmological Society of which she is still a Board member. She is member of 17 ophthalmological societies. 

Professor Soubrane was made Professor Honoris Causa of the University of Ulm in 2000 and delivered 11 named lectures. 

Professor Soubrane is still active in clinical research improving the diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration and looking for new therapeutic approaches.