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Sir Stephen O'Rahilly

FRS FRCP FRCPI FRCPath FMedSci FRSB MRIA
Professor Sir Stephen O'Rahilly.jpg
Born (1958-04-01) 1 April 1958 (age 67)
Dublin, Ireland
Citizenship Ireland
United Kingdom
Alma mater University College Dublin (MB, BCh, BAO, MD)
Spouse(s)
Suzy Oakes
(m. 1990; died 2011)
Awards
  • FMedSci (1999)
  • Heinrich Wieland Prize (2002)
  • FRS (2003)
  • InBev-Baillet Latour Health Prize (2010)
  • Croonian Medal (2011, 2022)
  • Baly Medal (2013)
  • Knighthood (2013)
  • Debrecen Award for Molecular Medicine (2014)
  • Banting Medal (2019)
Scientific career
Fields Bariatrics
Institutions

Sir Stephen Patrick O'Rahilly (born April 1, 1958) is a famous Irish-British doctor and scientist. He is well-known for his important research into how our bodies handle food and energy. He studies conditions like obesity (being very overweight), insulin resistance (when the body doesn't use insulin properly), and other problems with how our bodies work.

Early Life and Education

Stephen O'Rahilly was born in Dublin, Ireland, on April 1, 1958. He went to Beneavin De La Salle College in Dublin for his schooling.

Studying Medicine

He chose to study medicine at University College Dublin. In 1981, he earned his first medical degrees. He continued his studies and received a higher medical degree in 1987.

Groundbreaking Research

Sir Stephen O'Rahilly has done a lot of important research on health problems like Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. These conditions affect how our bodies use sugar for energy.

Where He Works

He worked at the University of Oxford and Harvard Medical School before joining the University of Cambridge. At Cambridge, he is a Professor of Clinical Biochemistry and Medicine. He also leads several important research centers that study metabolism and related diseases. He helps guide research at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.

Working with Other Scientists

Sir Stephen O'Rahilly has worked with many other brilliant scientists at Cambridge. Some of these include Sadaf Farooqi and Giles Yeo. Together, they have published many scientific papers.

Awards and Special Recognition

Sir Stephen O'Rahilly has received many awards and honors for his amazing work. These awards recognize his big contributions to understanding human health.

Key Discoveries

In 1999, he became a member of the Academy of Medical Sciences. In 2003, he was elected to the Royal Society, which is a very old and respected group of scientists. His work showed that changes in single genes can cause severe obesity in people. This discovery helped doctors understand and treat obese children better. He also found new information about how insulin works in the body.

Major Awards

He received the Heinrich Wieland Prize in 2002 and the InBev-Baillet Latour Health Prize in 2010. In 2014, he was given the Debrecen Award for Molecular Medicine. He was also honored with the Banting Medal in 2019 for his work on diabetes.

Knighthood and Other Honors

In 2013, he was made a Knight by the Queen for his services to medical research. This means he can use the title "Sir." In 2017, he became a member of the Royal Irish Academy. He was also made an Honorary Doctor by RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Dublin in 2018.

He received the Croonian Medal twice, first in 2011 and again in 2022. In 2022, he shared this honor with Sadaf Farooqi, and they gave a special lecture together at the Royal Society. In 2023, he received the OU Health Harold Hamm International Prize for his research on the link between obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

Personal Life

Sir Stephen O'Rahilly lives in Cambridge, England. He is married to journalist Philippa Lamb and has a stepson named Felix. He was previously married to Suzy Oakes, who passed away in 2011. He is a citizen of both Ireland and the United Kingdom.

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