Garret A. FitzGerald facts for kids

Garret Adare FitzGerald is an important Irish doctor and scientist. He was born on May 11, 1950. He is a professor at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States. A professor is a high-level teacher at a university.

Professor FitzGerald studies how medicines work in the body. He also researches heart health and how our bodies follow daily cycles, like sleep and wakefulness. This field is called chronobiology.

Early Life and School

Garret FitzGerald was born in Greystones, a town in County Wicklow, Ireland. He grew up in Dublin. From a young age, he loved playing rugby.

He went to Belvedere College, a school for boys in Dublin. His grandfather was a professor of Greek, which inspired Garret. He learned five different languages at school, including Greek and Latin.

Garret FitzGerald then studied medicine at University College Dublin (UCD). He earned his first medical degree in 1974. Later, he received a higher medical degree in 1980. He also studied statistics at Trinity College Dublin and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

He often says that his career in medicine happened "by accident." During a final exam at UCD, he was dissecting a cockroach. He lost a tiny piece he needed for the exam. A helpful teacher found it stuck to her thumb. Garret FitzGerald believes that without her help, he might not have become a doctor!

His Work as a Scientist

After finishing his medical training, Professor FitzGerald began working as a researcher. In 1980, he joined Vanderbilt University in the United States. He returned to Ireland in 1991.

Then, in 1994, he moved back to the United States. He became the first director of the Center for Experimental Therapeutics (CET) at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1996, he became the head of the pharmacology department there.

Professor FitzGerald was also a member of the Science Board for the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA is a government agency that makes sure medicines are safe and effective.

Helping Hearts with Aspirin

One of Professor FitzGerald's most important contributions was his work on aspirin. He helped show how a small dose of aspirin can help prevent heart attacks and strokes. Heart attacks and strokes happen when blood flow to the heart or brain is blocked. Aspirin can help keep blood from clotting too much.

Understanding Painkillers

Professor FitzGerald's lab also made a big discovery about common painkillers called Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These include medicines like ibuprofen. His team was the first to explain why some of these painkillers could be risky for the heart.

He showed that certain NSAIDs, like those called COX-2 inhibitors, could reduce a helpful substance in the body called prostacyclin. Prostacyclin helps protect the heart. When it's reduced, the risk of heart problems can go up. His research was very important. It led to a painkiller called Vioxx being taken off the market in 2004 because of its heart risks.

Awards and Honors

Professor FitzGerald has received many awards and honors for his important work. He is a member of several famous scientific groups around the world. These include the National Academy of Medicine and the Royal Society.

Here are some of his notable awards:

• 2004: Received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom.
• 2004: Received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the National University of Ireland, Dublin.
• 2005: Awarded the Boyle Medal.
• 2007: Won the Cameron Prize for Therapeutics of the University of Edinburgh.
• 2007: Received an honorary Doctor of Medicine degree from Goethe University Frankfurt in Germany.
• 2009: Awarded the Taylor Prize.
• 2011: Received the Jakob Herz Prize.
• 2012: Became a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS).
• 2012: Won Lucian Award.
• 2013: Received the Scheele Award.
• 2013: Won the Lefoulon-Delalande Prize.
• 2013: Awarded the Schottenstein Prize.
• 2013: Received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from King's College London in the United Kingdom.
• 2014: Awarded the St. Patrick's Day Medal from Science Foundation Ireland.
• 2017: Named UCD Alumnus of the Year in Research, Innovation and Impact.
• 2018: Elected to the German National Academy of Sciences.
• 2019: Received an Honorary Doctorate from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
• 2021: Became an Honorary Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG).