Barry Marshall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barry Marshall
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Marshall in 2021
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| Born |
Barry James Marshall
30 September 1951 Kalgoorlie, Western Australia
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| Alma mater | University of Western Australia (MBBS) |
| Known for | Helicobacter pylori |
| Spouse(s) |
Adrienne Joyce Feldman
(m. 1972) |
| Children | 4 |
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Barry James Marshall (born 30 September 1951) is an Australian doctor and scientist. He won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his amazing discovery. He is a Professor of Clinical Microbiology at the University of Western Australia.
Dr. Marshall, along with Dr. Robin Warren, discovered something very important. They showed that a type of bacteria, called Helicobacter pylori (often shortened to H. pylori), causes most peptic ulcers. Before their discovery, doctors thought ulcers were mainly caused by stress, spicy foods, or too much stomach acid. Their work completely changed how we understand and treat stomach problems. It also helped us learn that H. pylori infection can lead to stomach cancer.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Barry Marshall was born in Kalgoorlie, Australia. He lived there and in Carnarvon as a young child. When he was eight, his family moved to Perth. His father worked in different jobs, and his mother was a nurse. Barry is the oldest of four children.
He went to Marist College in Churchlands for high school. Later, he studied medicine at the University of Western Australia School of Medicine. He earned his medical degree (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) in 1974. He married his wife, Adrienne, in 1972, and they have four children.
Career and Important Discoveries
In 1981, while training at Royal Perth Hospital, Dr. Marshall met Dr. Robin Warren. Dr. Warren was a pathologist who was interested in gastritis, which is inflammation of the stomach lining. Together, they started looking into spiral-shaped bacteria found in the stomach.
Discovering H. pylori
In 1982, they successfully grew H. pylori bacteria in a lab. This was a big step! They then developed their idea: that these bacteria were causing peptic ulcers and even stomach cancer. At first, many scientists and doctors didn't believe them. They thought no bacteria could survive in the very acidic environment of the stomach. Dr. Marshall once said, "everyone was against me, but I knew I was right." However, some also say that scientists were just being careful, waiting for more proof.
Their early research faced challenges. They got funding for one year, but the first 30 samples didn't show what they hoped. Lab technicians were throwing out cultures after two days, which was normal for other types of bacteria. But one time, a sample was left over the weekend, for four days. That's when they found H. pylori! They learned that H. pylori grows much slower than other bacteria.
In 1983, they tried to share their findings with a group of stomach doctors in Australia. But their paper was turned down.
The Self-Experiment
To prove his theory, Dr. Marshall did something very brave in 1984. After checking his own stomach with a special camera (an endoscopy), he drank a liquid containing H. pylori bacteria. He thought it might take years to develop an ulcer.
But just three days later, he felt sick and had bad breath. This was because the bacteria made his stomach stop producing acid. On days 5-8, he even vomited without acid. On the eighth day, another endoscopy showed his stomach was very inflamed (gastritis). They found H. pylori growing there. After 14 days, he started taking antibiotics and got better. This experiment showed that H. pylori could cause gastritis. It was a major piece of evidence for his theory.
Continuing Research
After his groundbreaking work, Dr. Marshall continued his research. He worked at the University of Virginia in the USA before returning to Australia. He still runs the H. pylori Research Laboratory at the University of Western Australia (UWA).
In 2007, a special research center was named after him: The Marshall Centre for Infectious Diseases Research and Training. This center studies many infectious diseases, including H. pylori. Dr. Marshall also started the Noisy Guts Project in 2017. This team looks for new ways to diagnose and treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Awards and Honors
Dr. Barry Marshall has received many important awards for his discoveries.
In 2005, he and Dr. Robin Warren were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The Nobel committee recognized them "for their discovery of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori and its role in gastritis and peptic ulcer disease." This is one of the highest honors a scientist can receive.
He also received many other awards, including:
- The Warren Alpert Foundation Prize in 1994
- The Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research in 1995
- The Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize in 1997
- The Buchanan Medal of the Royal Society in 1998
- The Benjamin Franklin Medal for Life Sciences in 1999
- The Keio Medical Science Prize in 2002
In 1999, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very old and respected scientific group. His election certificate said that his work with H. pylori caused "one of the most radical and important changes in medical perception in the last 50 years."
In 2007, he was made a Companion of the Order of Australia, a high honor in his home country. He also received an honorary degree from the University of Oxford in 2009. In 2006, he was named Western Australian of the Year.
See also
In Spanish: Barry Marshall para niños
- Timeline of peptic ulcer disease and Helicobacter pylori
