Stanley Cohen

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stanley Cohen
Stanley Cohen (biochemist)
Born(1922-11-17)November 17, 1922
DiedFebruary 5, 2020(2020-02-05) (aged 97)
NationalityAmerican
Alma materUniversity of Michigan
Known forNerve growth factor
AwardsNobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1986)
The Franklin Medal (1987)
Scientific career
FieldsBiochemistry
InstitutionsWashington University in St. Louis

Stanley Cohen (November 17, 1922 – February 5, 2020) was an American biochemist of Jewish descent. He won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1986.[1] His research helped people understand how cancer starts and how to design anti-cancer drugs.[2]

He was also, with Herbert Boyer, one of the first to do any kind of genetic engineering.[3]

Biography[change | change source]

Cohen majored in chemistry and biology at Brooklyn College. He received a bachelor's degree in 1943, and worked as a bacteriologist at a plant that processes milk. Later in 1945, he received an M.A. in zoology from Oberlin College. He also received a Ph.D. from the department of biochemistry at the University of Michigan in 1948.[2]

In the 1950s, Cohen worked with Rita Levi-Montalcini at Washington University in St. Louis. He isolated the nerve growth factor and then discovered the epidermal growth factor. In 1959, he began teaching biochemistry at Vanderbilt University.[2]

Cohen also received the Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize from Columbia University in 1983 and the National Medal of Science in 1986.[2]

Cohen died on February 5, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 97.[4]

References[change | change source]

  1. "The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1986". nobelprize.org. The Nobel Foundation. Archived from the original on 29 March 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Hall of Honor Inductee: Dr. Stanley Cohen". National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. January 24, 2007. Archived from the original on 29 March 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  3. Cohen S; Chang A.; Boyer H. & Helling R. 1973. Construction of biologically functional bacterial plasmids in vitro. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 70 (11): 3240–3244. [1]
  4. Biochemist and Nobel Prize winner Stanley Cohen dies in Nashville at age 97

Other websites[change | change source]