Andrzej Szczeklik facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andrzej Szczeklik
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | July 29, 1938 Kraków, Poland
|
| Died | February 3, 2012 (aged 73) |
| Nationality | Polish |
| Alma mater | Jagiellonian University |
| Known for | Aspirin-induced asthma |
| Awards | Prize of the Foundation for Polish Science (1998) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Medicine, Immunology |
Andrzej Szczeklik (born July 29, 1938 – died February 3, 2012) was a famous Polish scientist. He was an immunologist, which means he studied how our bodies fight off sickness. He worked at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland. Dr. Szczeklik was known for his amazing research and also for being a talented writer.
He studied at the Jagiellonian University. After that, he spent a year learning in the USA. Then, he worked for seven years at the Wrocław Medical University in Poland. He also trained in other countries, like Sweden (at the Karolinska Institutet and University of Uppsala) and the USA (at the University of North Carolina).
In 1979, he became the head of the Department of Medicine at Jagiellonian University. He also served as the President of the Copernicus Academy of Medicine in Kraków. Later, he was the Vice-Rector (like a vice-president) for Medical Affairs at the Jagiellonian University.
Dr. Szczeklik was very interested in diseases of the heart and lungs. He studied how certain chemicals in our bodies, called eicosanoids, affect the circulatory system and respiratory system. He was especially known for his work on aspirin-induced asthma.
He gave many lectures at top universities in Europe, America, and Japan. He was also a visiting professor at universities in the UK and Switzerland.
Contents
Discoveries and Research
Dr. Szczeklik's main scientific focus was on heart and lung diseases. In 1976, he helped discover a substance called prostacyclin. This discovery was made with other scientists, Salvador Moncada and Ryszard Gryglewski.
He became a top expert on a type of asthma caused by aspirin. For his research on asthma, he won the "Lancet Investigators Award" in 1997. He also received the Prize of the Foundation for Polish Science in 1998. This award was for finding out that aspirin can help prevent blood clots.
Dr. Szczeklik wrote or co-wrote about 600 scientific papers. These papers were published in important medical journals like Nature and The Lancet. He also helped write many medical textbooks, both in Poland and internationally.
Beyond Science: His Books
Andrzej Szczeklik was not just a scientist; he was also a successful author. He wrote two popular books: "Katharsis" (published in 2002) and "Kore." These books shared his thoughts on life and medicine. They helped people understand how his scientific work connected to bigger ideas about the world. "Katharsis" was translated into several languages, including English and Spanish.
Awards and Memberships
Dr. Szczeklik was a member of many important scientific groups. These included the Pontifical Academy of Sciences in the Vatican and the Royal College of Physicians in London. He was also part of major American and European allergy and respiratory societies.
He received many awards for his work:
- In 1995, he got the "Gloria Medicinae" medal from the Polish Society of Medicine.
- In 1997, he won a top prize from "The Lancet" journal for his research on asthma.
- In 1998, he received a scientific prize from the Royal College of Physicians in London.
- In 2001, he was given a gold medal and a special lecture award by the American Academy Allergy Asthma and Immunology.
- From 1999 to 2003, several universities gave him honorary doctorates.
- In 2007, he became a Fellow of the American College of Physicians.
Honorary Degrees
Many universities recognized Dr. Szczeklik's great contributions by giving him honorary degrees:
- Wrocław Medical University (1999)
- Medical University of Warsaw (2002)
- Medical University of Silesia (2002)
- Medical University of Łódź (2003)
- Jagiellonian University in Kraków (2009)
See also
- Szczeklik's biography on his private website
