John Gofman facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids John W. Gofman
John Gofman at his home in San Francisco in August 2005
Born	September 21, 1918 Cleveland, Ohio
Died	August 15, 2007 (aged 88) San Francisco, California
Citizenship	United States
Alma mater	Oberlin College (Bachelor's) University of California at Berkeley (Ph.D) University of California, San Francisco (M.D.)
Awards	Right Livelihood Award
Scientific career
Fields	Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Medicine
Thesis	The discovery of Pa-232, U-232, Pa-233, and U-233. The slow and fast neutron fissionability of U-233. (1943)
Doctoral advisor	Glenn T. Seaborg

John William Gofman (September 21, 1918 – August 15, 2007) was an American scientist and activist. He was a professor at the University of California at Berkeley. He became known for his work in both medicine and nuclear science.

Gofman was a pioneer in studying how fats in the blood affect health. He helped discover important fat molecules called lipoproteins. His team showed how these molecules contribute to heart disease. Because of this, he was called the "Father of Clinical Lipidology."

He also played a big role in understanding the health risks of radiation. He helped scientists agree that even small amounts of radiation can cause cancer. He also pushed for the use of the Linear No-Threshold (LNT) model. This model helps estimate cancer risks from low-level radiation. It is now a key part of international radiation safety rules.

Early in his career, Gofman worked on the Manhattan Project. This was a secret project to develop the first atomic bombs. He helped discover several radioisotopes, including uranium-233. He was also one of the first chemists to work with plutonium.

Later in life, Gofman became a strong voice against the dangers of nuclear power. He led the Committee for Nuclear Responsibility. He received the Right Livelihood Award for showing the health effects of low-level radiation. This award recognized his work after the Chernobyl disaster.

Early Nuclear Research
Medical Discoveries
Taking on the Atomic Energy Commission
Key Contributions to Radiation Safety
Opposing Nuclear Power
Views on Nuclear Deterrence
Personal Life
Awards and Recognition
See also

Early Nuclear Research

John Gofman studied chemistry at Oberlin College. He earned his bachelor's degree in 1939. In 1943, he received his Ph.D. in nuclear and physical chemistry from Berkeley. There, he worked with Glenn T. Seaborg. Seaborg was famous for discovering plutonium.

In his Ph.D. work, Gofman discovered new radioisotopes. These included protactinium-232, uranium-232, and protactinium-233. He also studied uranium-233 and its ability to undergo nuclear fission. Seaborg thought very highly of Gofman. He called him one of his "most brilliant students."

Gofman shared patents for some of his discoveries. These included methods for producing nuclear power or weapons. He also worked on ways to separate plutonium from other materials. Later, Gofman helped lead the Plutonium Project. This project was part of the larger Manhattan Project.

Medical Discoveries

Dr. Gofman earned his medical degree in 1946 from the University of California, San Francisco. After this, he and his team studied lipoproteins. These are tiny particles in the blood that carry fats and proteins.

His research helped explain how different types of lipoproteins work. They showed how these particles move through the bloodstream. This work was important for understanding metabolic disorders and heart disease. This research continued through the 1940s and 1950s.

Taking on the Atomic Energy Commission

In 1954, Ernest Lawrence asked Gofman to start the Medical Department at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Gofman led this department for a few years. He also taught at Berkeley.

Challenges to Research

In 1963, Gofman helped set up the Biomedical Research Division at LLNL. This division focused on health research. However, the US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) tried to limit its work. They cut the budget for the program. Gofman and his team still worked hard to study radiation hazards.

After a treaty banned atmospheric nuclear tests in 1963, public pressure on the AEC eased. The AEC then tried to stop funding for a new biomedical building at Livermore. Gofman and LLNL's director, John Foster, fought to get the promised money.

The Knapp Report

In 1959, a scientist named Edward B. Lewis worried about radiation from nuclear tests. He thought children might have received high doses of iodine-131 from milk. This led the AEC to ask for a report on short-lived isotopes.

In 1960, Harold A. Knapp wrote a report on this topic. His findings were alarming. He showed that infants near a 1953 test site might have received very high doses of radiation. The AEC tried to stop Knapp's report from being published.

In 1963, Gofman was asked to join a group discussing the report. He said the AEC wanted to know how to stop the report. Despite the AEC's objections, the group recommended publishing it. Knapp's report was finally released in June 1963.

Gofman and Tamplin's Warnings

In 1964, Gofman began asking questions about low-level radiation. He called for a big study on radiation exposure in medicine and workplaces. This helped start a national discussion about atomic power safety.

With his colleague, Dr. Arthur R. Tamplin, Gofman studied health data. They looked at survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. They also researched how radiation affects human chromosomes. In 1969, they suggested that federal safety limits for radiation should be much lower.

The Atomic Energy Commission disagreed with their findings. This made Dr. Gofman a reluctant leader of the anti-nuclear movement. In 1970, he spoke against building nuclear reactors in cities. He warned that a reactor in a city could undo "all the medical advances" of the past 25 years.

Key Contributions to Radiation Safety

Gofman and Tamplin were crucial in changing how scientists viewed radiation. Before their work, genetic risks were the main concern. They helped the scientific community see the cancer risks of radiation.

They also pushed for the Linear No-Threshold (LNT) model. This model helps estimate cancer risks from low-level radiation. It became the basis for international radiation protection rules.

Their strong arguments against the existing radiation safety rules led to the creation of the BEIR committee. This committee was formed by the National Academy of Sciences. Its job was to study the biological effects of ionizing radiation.

The BEIR I report was published in 1972. It supported many of Gofman and Tamplin's ideas. The report agreed that cancer risks from low-level radiation were a big concern. It also suggested that existing radiation limits were too high.

According to Edward Radford, a member of the BEIR I committee, Gofman deserved credit. He raised the issue of radiation's cancer risks early on. However, he was often seen as an "extreme antinuclear scientist." This may have kept him from getting the recognition he deserved.

Opposing Nuclear Power

Gofman retired from teaching in 1973. He became a professor emeritus of molecular and cell biology. He continued his work as an activist.

In 1974, Gofman testified in a trial for Samuel Lovejoy. Lovejoy had protested a proposed nuclear power plant. Lovejoy was inspired by Gofman's book, Poisoned Power.

Gofman used his radiation model to predict health effects from the 1979 Three Mile Island accident. He predicted many cancer deaths. Studies of the health effects have not found a large number of excess deaths. However, some studies have found increased thyroid cancer in nearby areas.

After the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, Gofman made a prediction. He said Chernobyl would cause hundreds of thousands of fatal cancers. Other reports have estimated fewer deaths. However, some researchers, like Alexey V. Yablokov, have estimated much higher numbers.

Gofman also helped activists stop a proposed nuclear waste facility. This facility was planned for Ward Valley in the Mojave Desert. His advice helped activists organize and delay the project. Eventually, the facility was not built. He also worked on issues related to the Diablo Canyon Power Plant.

Views on Nuclear Deterrence

Gofman believed that "nuclear deterrence is important." This means having nuclear weapons to prevent other countries from attacking. He did not think that banning all nuclear tests would work. He supported underground atomic bomb tests. He knew these tests could cause some harm.

He said he did not understand the disarmament movement. He believed that if the US disarmed, other powerful countries might try to control them. He thought that force should not be used to solve human problems. But he also felt that unarmed freedom would not work if "powerful bullies" existed.

Personal Life

John Gofman was born in Cleveland, Ohio. His parents, David and Sarah Gofman, were Jewish immigrants. They came to the US from the Russian Empire around 1905. His father had been involved in early revolutionary activities against the Czar. Gofman passed away from heart failure in his San Francisco home on August 15, 2007. He was 88 years old.

Awards and Recognition

Gold-Headed Cane Award, University of California Medical School, 1946. This award is given to a graduating student who shows qualities of a "true physician."
Modern Medicine Award, 1954, for his important work in heart disease research.
The Lyman Duff Lectureship Award of the American Heart Association, 1965. This was for his research on atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.
The Stouffer Prize (shared), 1972, for his excellent contributions to arteriosclerosis research.
American College of Cardiology, 1974. He was chosen as one of the top twenty-five researchers in cardiology of the past 25 years.
University of California, Berkeley, Bancroft Library, 1988. His papers were added to the History of Science and Technology Special Collection.
Right Livelihood Award, 1992.
Honored Speaker for the Meeting of the Arteriosclerosis Section of the American Heart Association, 1993.