Jeffrey M. Friedman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jeffrey Friedman
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Jeffrey Friedman at the Royal Society admissions day in London, July 2018
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| Born | July 20, 1954 Orlando, Florida, US
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| Alma mater | Rockefeller University (PhD) |
| Known for | discovery of the hormone leptin and its role in regulating body weight |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Molecular genetics |
| Institutions | Rockefeller University |
| Thesis | Regulation of liver gene expression (1986) |
Jeffrey M. Friedman (born July 20, 1954) is a brilliant scientist. He works as a molecular geneticist at Rockefeller University in New York City. He is famous for discovering a very important hormone called leptin. This discovery helped us understand how our bodies control weight.
Dr. Friedman is a doctor and a scientist. He studies how our genes affect body weight. In 1994, he and his team found a special gene in mice. This gene makes the leptin protein. They found that giving leptin to mice helped them lose weight. It did this by making them eat less and burn more energy. His work has greatly helped us understand human obesity.
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Becoming a Scientist
Jeffrey Friedman was born in Orlando, Florida, on July 20, 1954. He grew up in North Woodmere, New York. He finished George W. Hewlett High School in 1971. When he was young, he wanted to be a doctor. He went to a special program and became a doctor at 22.
After working with scientist Mary Jeanne Kreek, he fell in love with science. He realized that science is about discovering new things. He decided he wanted to do research. Dr. Friedman joined Rockefeller University in 1980. He earned his Ph.D. degree there in 1986. He also got a bachelor's degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1973. He received his medical degree from Albany Medical College in 1977.
Discovering Leptin
When Dr. Friedman started his own lab, he focused on how bodies control weight. He worked with special mice that were very plump. He wanted to find the hormone that helps animals control their appetite. This hormone was missing in the plump mice.
After eight years of hard work, he found it! On May 8, 1994, he found proof of the gene. This gene makes the hormone he named "leptin." The word "leptin" comes from a Greek word meaning "thin." He said the discovery was "astonishingly beautiful." The image of the gene now hangs on his office wall.
How Leptin Works
Scientists already knew that animals and humans control their energy balance very carefully. Dr. Friedman's lab found leptin and its receptors. These are like the "lock" and "key" for weight control. Leptin is a hormone made by fat tissue. The more fat you have, the more leptin your body makes.
When leptin levels go up, it tells your brain to eat less. It also tells your body to burn more energy. This helps you lose weight. If your fat goes down, leptin levels drop. This tells your body to eat more and save energy. This system helps keep your weight steady.
If there are problems with the leptin gene, it can cause severe obesity. Leptin works on special brain cells that control eating and energy. When an animal loses weight, leptin levels fall. This drop tells the body to look for food. Dr. Friedman found that leptin can even change the brain. It helps strengthen the brain cells that encourage weight loss. It also prunes the cells that make you want to eat.
Dr. Friedman has written many scientific papers and book chapters. He also helped research a special rat model of obesity in India.
Awards and Recognition
Dr. Friedman's amazing work on obesity and the leptin gene has earned him many important awards. Some of these include:
- 1996 Heinrich Wieland Prize
- 2001 Elected to the National Academy of Sciences
- 2005 Canada Gairdner International Award
- 2009 Shaw Prize for Life Sciences and Medicine
- 2010 Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research
- 2012 BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award
- 2013 King Faisal International Prize in Medicine
- 2019 Wolf Prize in Medicine
- 2020 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences
- 2024 Princess of Asturias Awards for Technical and Scientific Research
His work on leptin also led to him appearing on PBS shows. He was interviewed by host Alan Alda on Scientific American Frontiers.
Personal Life
Dr. Friedman lives in New York City. He lives with his wife, Lily Safani, and their twin daughters, Alexandra and Nathalie.
See also
In Spanish: Jeffrey M. Friedman para niños
