John Jacob Abel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Jacob Abel
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| Born | May 19, 1857 |
| Died | May 26, 1938 (aged 81) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of Michigan (PhB) University of Strasbourg (MD) |
| Spouse(s) |
Mary Hinman
(m. 1883) |
| Children | 3 |
| Awards | Foreign Member of the Royal Society Willard Gibbs Award (1927) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Biochemistry, pharmacology |
| Institutions | Johns Hopkins School of Medicine |
| Signature | |
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John Jacob Abel (born May 19, 1857 – died May 26, 1938) was an American scientist. He studied how medicines affect the body (pharmacology) and the chemistry of living things (biochemistry). He started the pharmacology department at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1893. This made him America's first full-time professor in this field.
During his time at Johns Hopkins, he made big steps in medicine. He was especially good at taking out hormones from the body. Besides his lab work, he also started important science magazines. These included the Journal of Biological Chemistry and the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Jacob Abel was born in 1857 near Cleveland, Ohio. His parents were George M. and Mary (Becker) Abel. He went to the University of Michigan and earned a degree in 1883. There, he learned from Henry Sewall.
Before finishing his degree, he took time off. He worked as a high school principal in La Porte, Indiana. He taught many subjects, from chemistry to Latin. Later, he studied at Johns Hopkins University. He learned from Henry Newell Martin, a heart doctor.
Then, Abel traveled to Europe to continue his studies. He started in Leipzig, Germany, studying medical sciences. He then moved to Strasbourg, where he earned his medical degree (M.D.) in 1888.
After getting his medical degree, Abel focused on biochemistry and pharmacology. He traveled around Europe, especially Germany. He did research in biochemistry. During this time, many mentors helped him. They showed him different science fields. This led him to work in biochemistry and pharmacology.
From 1884, Abel worked with several doctors. He learned about body functions (physiology) and how tissues are structured (histology). He also studied pharmacology, diseases (pathology), and chemistry. He worked in Leipzig until 1886. Then he moved to Strasbourg. There, he worked on internal medicine and infectious diseases.
Eventually, Abel worked with Oswald Schmiedeberg in Strasbourg. Schmiedeberg made him very interested in pharmacology research. Finally, Abel worked in a biochemistry lab in Berne. There, he met Arthur Robertson Cushny, who later worked with him in Michigan.
Career Highlights
After his time in Europe, Abel came back to the University of Michigan. He became the head of the Materia Medica and Therapeutics department. He helped create the first pharmacology department in North America. He stayed at Michigan until 1893. Then, William Osler from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine asked him to join their team.
At Johns Hopkins, Abel became the head of pharmacology and biological chemistry. In 1908, these departments split. Abel then became the head of only the Department of Pharmacology. He did his most important research at Johns Hopkins. He led the department until he retired at age 75 in 1932.
Isolating Epinephrine
From his early days in Europe, Abel wanted to get pure hormones from glands. His first big achievement was isolating epinephrine. This hormone comes from the adrenal medulla gland. He was able to get a special form of epinephrine.
While he was trying to make his process better, another chemist, J. Takamine, visited his lab. Takamine was able to get the pure epinephrine. Abel had tried a similar method but failed because his extract was not strong enough. Abel openly admitted Takamine's success. He said his own efforts were "marred by blunders." But his work still helped a lot in this field.
Creating an Early Dialysis Machine
Abel, along with L.G. Rowntree and B.B. Turner, created a machine. They called it a "vividiffusion" apparatus. It had many tubes surrounded by fluid. They showed this machine for the first time in 1914. Blood would enter the machine from an artery. After cleaning, it would return to the body through a vein.
With this machine, they showed that free amino acids exist in blood. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. By taking these amino acids out of the blood, Abel learned more about proteins. Abel also saw that this machine could help people with kidney problems. His "vividiffusion" machine was an early version of today's dialysis machine. He wrote about his work in a paper in 1913.
Crystallizing Insulin
Abel started working on insulin after an invitation. His friend Arthur A. Noyes from California Institute of Technology asked him. Noyes had money for insulin research. He thought Abel was the right person to lead it. Abel decided to take on the research. He told his friend, "Will attack insulin."
Abel spent years trying to make insulin pure. He found that the more sulfur his extracts had, the more active they were. This discovery helped a lot in getting active insulin. It also showed that sulfur is a key part of insulin molecules. In November 1925, Abel finally saw something amazing. "Glistening crystals of insulin forming on the sides of a test tube."
While at Caltech, Abel wrote an article called "Crystalline Insulin" in 1926. People praised his work. But some wondered if his crystals were truly pure. Early tests showed they were proteins. At that time, people thought proteins could not have such strong effects as a hormone. In 1927, he published another paper about his work.
Abel's lab became the main place for insulin research in the U.S. Many young scientists came to his lab. They worked with Abel to study the new hormone. Abel himself did less of the actual experiments after four years. But he kept guiding the scientists. They continued to learn more about the structure of insulin.
Degrees, Awards, and Honors
Degrees Earned
- Bachelor of Philosophy (Ph.B.) from University of Michigan, 1883
- Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) from University of Strassburg, 1888
Honorary Degrees
- Master of Arts (M.A.) from University of Michigan, 1903
- Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) from University of Michigan, 1912
- Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) from University of Pittsburgh, 1915
- Doctor of Law (LL.D.) from University of Cambridge, 1920
- Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) from Harvard University, 1925
- Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) from Yale University, 1927
- Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) from University of Lviv, Poland, 1927
- Doctor of Law (LL.D.) from University of Aberdeen, 1932
Awards Received
- Research Corporation Prize, 1925
- Lectureship of Kober Foundation, 1925
- Willard Gibbs Gold Medal, 1927
- Gold Medal, Society of Apothecaries, London, 1928
- Conné Medal, New York Chemists' Club, 1932
- Kober Medal, 1934
Private Life
Abel married Mary Hinman in 1883. They met in La Porte, Indiana. He was a principal, and she was a teacher. They had three children. One daughter passed away as a baby in 1888 in Strasbourg. Their other two children, George H. Abel and Robert Abel, lived to be adults. Mary Abel and John Abel both passed away in 1938. Mary died in January, and John died in May.
See also
In Spanish: John Jacob Abel para niños
