John Ugelstad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Ugelstad
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| Born | 31 March 1921 Trondheim
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| Died | 3 April 1997 (aged 76) |
| Nationality | Norwegian |
| Education | chemical engineering |
| Alma mater | Norwegian Institute of Technology (NTH) |
| Known for | discovering a process to manufacture microbeads and dynabeads |
| Spouse(s) | Viola Kristine Rigstad |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | polymer chemistry |
John Ugelstad (born March 31, 1921 – died April 3, 1997) was a brilliant Norwegian chemical engineer and inventor. He is famous for creating a way to make tiny, perfect spheres called microbeads and dynabeads. These tiny beads have changed how we do many things, especially in medicine.
Ugelstad was a professor at the Norwegian Institute of Technology. He also worked as a consultant for a big company called DuPont. His inventions have helped scientists and doctors around the world.
Contents
Early Life and School
John Ugelstad was born in Trondheim, Norway. His father owned a factory. John grew up in Trondheim and went to school there.
He started studying chemistry at the Norwegian Institute of Technology (NTH) in 1941. However, World War II caused delays in his studies. He finally finished his engineering degree in 1948.
His Amazing Career
After working in business for a few years, John Ugelstad joined Philips Group's research team in the Netherlands. He earned his PhD from the University of Leiden in 1955. Later, he worked for SINTEF and then at the Institute of Industrial Chemistry at NTH starting in 1957.
Between 1964 and 1965, he developed a new and important idea about how emulsion polymerization works. This new theory changed how scientists understood this process. It was a very important step in his career.
In 1966, he became a professor at NTH. He taught and did research there until 1991. He also helped many companies, including DuPont, with their chemistry problems.
The Discovery of Microbeads
John Ugelstad was already well-known for his work in chemistry. At a conference in the United States, he heard about a big challenge: how to make tiny, perfectly uniform spheres. These are called monodisperse spheres. Scientists had been trying to make them for years.
Back in Trondheim, Ugelstad started thinking about this problem. He believed it should be possible to make these tiny particles in a regular lab. He often said he thought best at night. One late night in 1977, he had a brilliant idea.
He realized how simple it could be to make these tiny particles. Imagine 15 million of them weighing just one milligram! They are as small and uniform as tiny drops of milk. Because the method seemed so simple, he thought others might discover it too. So, he quickly patented his invention. His patent described a way to make polymer particles in two steps using water. These particles could absorb huge amounts of water-soluble substances.
Magnetic Microbeads and Medicine
Soon after his discovery, Ugelstad gave a lecture in the United States. After his talk, some scientists asked if his spheres could be made magnetic. They wanted to use them to separate different types of cells. This question sparked new research for John Ugelstad.
He worked late nights again, and soon, he developed magnetic monodisperse particles at SINTEF. His solution was incredibly clever and simple. He made the particles paramagnetic. This means they only become magnetic when they are in a magnetic field. When the magnetic field is removed, they are no longer magnetic.
These magnetic beads became very important in medicine. Doctors Kjell Nustad and Gunnar Kvalheim at the Norwegian Radium Hospital in Oslo helped develop them for medical use. In 1983, these tiny spheres were used to treat bone marrow cancer.
Here's how it works: Doctors remove some bone marrow from cancer patients. They add the magnetic beads, which attach to the cancer cells. Then, using a magnet, they remove the cancer cells outside the body. Finally, the treated bone marrow is put back into the patient. This method was a huge step forward in cancer treatment.
Major Achievements
John Ugelstad's scientific work between 1972 and 1982 made him famous worldwide. In 1976, when he was nearly 60, he successfully created monodisperse spheres. These are microscopic particles that are all exactly the same size and shape.
Before Ugelstad's discovery, researchers in the US had tried for years to make these spheres. They even thought it was only possible to make them in space, where there is no gravity! But Ugelstad proved them wrong by making them right in his lab on Earth.
These perfect particles made it possible to do many biological tests much faster than before. They became essential for treating different types of cancer. They were also very important in fighting AIDS, studying bacteria, and working with DNA. The main impact of his discovery was in medical uses.
After his invention became known, Ugelstad was a very popular speaker at international conferences. He was a great lecturer. He could explain difficult science problems in a way that everyone could understand, even those who knew nothing about physics.
Honors and Awards
John Ugelstad was a member of important scientific groups, like the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters. He received many awards for his work. These included the DKNVS' Gunnerus Medal and the Norwegian Technological Research Council Award, both in 1986.
In 1990, he was honored as a Commander of the Order of St. Olav. This is a very high award in Norway. In 2002, a laboratory in Trondheim was named the Ugelstad Laboratory in his honor.
Personal Life
John Ugelstad married Viola Kristine Rigstad in 1948. She was an artist.
Ugelstad once said about his work: "My work has been like an obsession. I am a slave of my work, but I love this slavery. A researcher's life has both disappointments and joys. Sometimes, it seems like there's no hope. Other times, solutions come like gifts from heaven. When that happens, you feel very grateful, like you've been chosen. Research is a fascinating business with incredible chances to explore and discover new things in an unknown world."
See also
