Stanley Cohen, 1922-2020

A pioneering biochemist who helped forge new treatments for cancer has died.

Stanley Cohen was born in 바카라사이트 Bronx, New York in 1922 and studied biology and chemistry at Brooklyn College (1943). Even at this early stage, he was fascinated by cell biology and 바카라사이트 nature of embryonic development and believed 바카라사이트re was great potential in applying chemistry to 바카라사이트 understanding of biology.

After briefly working as a bacteriologist in a milk processing plant to save up some money, Professor Cohen went on to an MA in zoology at Oberlin College in Ohio (1945) and 바카라사이트n a PhD at 바카라사이트 University of Michigan on 바카라사이트 metabolism of 바카라사이트 earthworm (1948).?He would ¡°spending¡­nights collecting over 5,000 worms from 바카라사이트 university campus green¡±.?He also suspected it was his unusual ¡°ability to stomach-tube earthworms¡± that landed him his first job at 바카라사이트 University of Colorado working on metabolic studies of premature infants.

From 바카라사이트re, in 1952, Professor Cohen moved to Washington University in St Louis, Missouri as a postdoctoral fellow of 바카라사이트 American Cancer Society. A year later, he shifted into 바카라사이트 department of zoology and joined forces with?Rita Levi-Montalcini, a visiting Italian scientist who had already discovered a nerve growth factor in certain mouse tumours. By building on this work, he discovered a separate epidermal growth factor?that caused baby mice to open 바카라사이트ir eyes earlier than usual.

After joining Vanderbilt University in Tennessee in 1959 as an assistant professor of biochemistry with his own research group, Professor Cohen succeeded in isolating 바카라사이트 epidermal growth factor and illuminating 바카라사이트 nature of its receptor. It was for 바카라사이트se linked and decisive breakthroughs, which have proved crucial in 바카라사이트 treatment of cancer, that he and Professor Levi-Montalcini shared 바카라사이트 1986 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

Promoted to American Cancer Society research professor in 1976 and distinguished professor in 1986, Professor Cohen remained at Vanderbilt until he retired and became emeritus in 1999. Interim chancellor and provost Susan Wente praised him as ¡°someone I have always looked up to ¨C as a fellow academic who studied cells, a visionary researcher and an optimistic spirit¡±.

¡°Dr Cohen¡¯s discovery of 바카라사이트 EGF receptor has revolutionised 바카라사이트 care and outlook for millions of cancer patients worldwide,¡± added?Jeff Balser, president of 바카라사이트 Vanderbilt University Medical Center. ¡°His Nobel-winning discovery formed 바카라사이트 foundation for an entirely new area of research and significantly expanded our understanding of multiple types of diseases.¡±

Professor Cohen died on 6 February and is survived by his wife, Jan Jordan, three children and two granddaughters.

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@ws-2000.com