Robert F. Furchgott

Robert Francis Furchgott (June 4, 1916 – May 19, 2009) was a Nobel Prize-winning American biochemist who contributed to the discovery of nitric oxide as a transient cellular signal in mammalian systems.

Robert F. Furchgott
Born
Robert Francis Furchgott

June 4, 1916
Charleston, South Carolina
DiedMay 19, 2009(2009-05-19) (aged 92)
Seattle, Washington
NationalityUnited States
CitizenshipAmerican
Spouse(s)Lenore Mandelbaum (1941–1983; her death; 3 children)
Margaret Gallagher Roth (?–2006; her death)
AwardsNobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1998
Scientific career
FieldsBiochemistry
InstitutionsSUNY Downstate Medical Center 1956–2009
Washington University in St. Louis 1949–1956
Cornell University 1940–1949
Signature

Early life and education

Furchgott was born in Charleston, South Carolina, to Arthur Furchgott (December 1884 – January 1971), a department store owner, and Pena (Sorentrue) Furchgott. He graduated with a degree in chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1937), and went on to earn a Ph.D in biochemistry at Northwestern University (1940), immediately joining a medical faculty thereafter.

Career

Furchgott was faculty member of Cornell University Medical College from 1940 to 1949, of Washington University School of Medicine from 1949 to 1956, and State University of New York Downstate Medical Center from 1956 to 2009, as professor of pharmacology.

In 1978, Furchgott discovered a substance in endothelial cells that relaxes blood vessels, calling it endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF). By 1986, he had worked out EDRF's nature and mechanism of action, and determined that EDRF was in fact nitric oxide (NO), an important compound in many aspects of cardiovascular physiology. This research is important in explaining a wide variety of neuronal, cardiovascular, and general physiologic processes of central importance in human health and disease.[1]

In addition to receiving the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of nitric oxide as a new cellular signal—shared in 1998 with Louis Ignarro and Ferid Murad [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] Furchgott's discovery, that NO gas causes blood vessels to dilate, provided a long sought-after explanation for the therapeutic effects of Nitroglycerin used to treat Angina pectoris and was later instrumental in the development of the erectile dysfunction treatment drug Viagra.[9] In 1991, Furchgott received a Gairdner Foundation International Award for his groundbreaking discoveries. He also received the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research in 1996[10] and the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement in 1999 with Ferid Murad.[11]

Personal life

Furchgott, who was Jewish,[12] lived for most of his married and career life in Woodmere, NY (Long Island). He was married to Lenore Mandelbaum (February 1915 – April 1983)[13] from 1941 until she died aged 68. They had three daughters: Jane, Terry and Susan. His daughter, Susan, was a prolific artist in the San Francisco counter culture and a co-founder of the Kerista Commune (she was also known as "Even Eve" and "Eve Furchgott"). Robert Furchgott spent his later years with Margaret Gallagher Roth, who died March 14, 2006.[14] He served as a professor emeritus at the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center. In 2008 he moved to Seattle's Ravenna neighborhood. Furchgott died on May 19, 2009[15] in Seattle. He is survived by his three daughters, four grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

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See also

Further reading
  • Anon. (2009) "Obituary: Robert Furchgott," The Telegraph (online), May 26, 2009, see,[16] accessed 11 August 2015.
  • Raju, T N (2000), "The Nobel chronicles. 1998: Robert Francis Furchgott (b 1911), Louis J Ignarro (b 1941), and Ferid Murad (b 1936).", Lancet (published Jul 22, 2000), 356 (9226), p. 346, doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(05)73635-7, PMID 11071225
  • Rabelink, A J (1998), "Nobel prize in Medicine and Physiology 1998 for the discovery of the role of nitric oxide as a signalling molecule", Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde (published Dec 26, 1998), 142 (52), pp. 2828–30, PMID 10065255
  • Laufs, U; Erdmann, E (1998), "Nitric oxide as a signal molecule in the cardiovascular system. Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1998", Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. (published Dec 18, 1998), 123 (51–52), pp. 1562–5, doi:10.1055/s-0029-1237297, PMID 9893684
  • Hansson, G K; Jörnvall, H; Lindahl, S G (1998), "The Nobel Prize 1998 in physiology or medicine. Nitrogen oxide as a signal molecule in the cardiovascular system", Ugeskrift for Læger (published Dec 21, 1998), 160 (52), pp. 7571–8, PMID 9889673
  • Nielsen, T T; Sørensen, K E (1998), "Discovery of "endogenous nitroglycerin", NO, as cellular signal molecule", Ugeskrift for Læger (published Dec 21, 1998), 160 (52), p. 7567, PMID 9889670
  • Mitka, M (1998), "1998 Nobel Prize winners are announced: three discoverers of nitric oxide activity", JAMA (published Nov 18, 1998), 280 (19), p. 1648, doi:10.1001/jama.280.19.1648, PMID 9831980
  • Hansson, G K; Jörnvall, H; Lindahl, S G (1998), "1998 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine. Nitric oxide as a signal molecule in the cardiovascular system", Lakartidningen (published Oct 21, 1998), 95 (43), pp. 4703–8, PMID 9821753

References
  1. "Summary: The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1998". NobelPrize.org. Nobel Media AB 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  2. Raju, T N (2000), "The Nobel chronicles. 1998: Robert Francis Furchgott (b 1911), Louis J Ignarro (b 1941), and Ferid Murad (b 1936).", Lancet (published Jul 22, 2000), 356 (9226), p. 346, doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(05)73635-7, PMID 11071225
  3. Rabelink, A J (1998), "Nobel prize in Medicine and Physiology 1998 for the discovery of the role of nitric oxide as a signalling molecule", Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde (published Dec 26, 1998), 142 (52), pp. 2828–30, PMID 10065255
  4. Laufs, U; Erdmann, E (1998), "Nitric oxide as a signal molecule in the cardiovascular system. Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1998", Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. (published Dec 18, 1998), 123 (51–52), pp. 1562–5, doi:10.1055/s-0029-1237297, PMID 9893684
  5. Hansson, G K; Jörnvall, H; Lindahl, S G (1998), "The Nobel Prize 1998 in physiology or medicine. Nitrogen oxide as a signal molecule in the cardiovascular system", Ugeskrift for Læger (published Dec 21, 1998), 160 (52), pp. 7571–8, PMID 9889673
  6. Nielsen, T T; Sørensen, K E (1998), "Discovery of "endogenous nitroglycerin", NO, as cellular signal molecule", Ugeskrift for Læger (published Dec 21, 1998), 160 (52), p. 7567, PMID 9889670
  7. Mitka, M (1998), "1998 Nobel Prize winners are announced: three discoverers of nitric oxide activity", JAMA (published Nov 18, 1998), 280 (19), p. 1648, doi:10.1001/jama.280.19.1648, PMID 9831980
  8. Hansson, G K; Jörnvall, H; Lindahl, S G (1998), "1998 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine. Nitric oxide as a signal molecule in the cardiovascular system", Lakartidningen (published Oct 21, 1998), 95 (43), pp. 4703–8, PMID 9821753
  9. BBC News vom 23. Mai 2009: US „Viagra scientist“ dies at 92.
  10. Furchgott, R.F. (1996), "The 1996 Albert Lasker Medical Research Awards. The discovery of endothelium-derived relaxing factor and its importance in the identification of nitric oxide", JAMA (published Oct 9, 1996), 276 (14), pp. 1186–8, doi:10.1001/jama.276.14.1186, PMID 8827976
  11. "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement". www.achievement.org. American Academy of Achievement.
  12. "Seymour "Sy" Brody's". Fau.edu. Retrieved 2015-08-11.
  13. "RootsWeb: Database Index". Ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved 2015-08-11.
  14. "Paid Notice - Deaths ROTH, MARGARET - Paid Death Notice - NYTimes.com". New York Times. 2006-03-17. Retrieved 2015-08-11.
  15. "SUNY Downstate Medical Center". Downstate.edu. Retrieved 2015-08-11.
  16. "Robert Furchgott". Telegraph. 2009-05-26. Retrieved 2015-08-11.
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