Raphael Mechoulam

Infobox Scientist
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name = Raphael Mechoulam


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caption = Raphael Mechoulam
birth_date = 1930
birth_place = Sofia, Bulgaria
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residence = Jerusalem
citizenship = Israel
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fields = Medicinal Chemistry, Natural Products
workplaces = Weizmann Institute of Science, Rockefeller University, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
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doctoral_advisor = Prof. Franz Sondheimer
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known_for = Total synthesis of tetrahydrocannabinol, major contributions to the chemistry of cannabinoids and discovery of endocannabinoids
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Raphael Mechoulam (Hebrew: רפאל משולם) is an Israeli professor for Medicinal Chemistry and Natural Products at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel.

Birth and education

Raphael Mechoulam was born in Sofia, Bulgaria in 1930. His father was a physician and head of a local hospital, while his mother "who had studied in Berlin, enjoyed the life of a well-to-do Jewish family". He attended an "American Grade School" until his parents were forced to leave their hometown because of anti-semitic laws. After the communist takeover of Bulgaria in 1944 he studied chemical engineering which he "disliked". In 1949 his family immigrated to Israel where later studied chemistry. He gained his first research experience in the Israeli Army working on insecticides. He finished his PhD thesis about the chemistry of steroids under the supervision of Prof. Franz Sondheimer in 1950s. After a postdoctoral stay at the Rockefeller Institute with Prof. S. William Pelletier he became a junior member at the Weizmann Institute of Science.

Academic career

Raphael Mechoulam, while being a junior member at the Weizmann Institute of Science, suceeded in the isolation, structure elucidation and total synthesis of Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol, the main active principle of marihuana. He later became a full professor for medicinal chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem where he established the "Department of Natural Products". His major scientific interest is the chemistry and pharmacology of cannabinoids. He and his research group succeeded in the total synthesis of the major plant cannabinoids Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol, cannabigerol and various others. Another research project initiated by him led to the isolation of the first described endocannabinoid anandamide which was isolated and characterized by two of his postdoctoral researchers, Lumír Hanuš and William Devane. Another endogenous cannabinoid, 2-AG, was soon discovered by one of his PhD students. He published more than 350 scientific articles and was awarded several prizes, including the Heinrich Wieland prize, Ulf von Euler Lecture in Physiology and the Israel prize among others. The International Cannabinoid Research Society established the "Raphael Mechoulam Annual Award in Cannabinoid Research" in 1999. He is an elected member of the Israeli Academy of Sciences.

References

cite journal |author=Mechoulam R |title=Conversation with Raphael Mechoulam |journal=Addiction (Abingdon, England) |volume=102 |issue=6 |pages=887–93 |year=2007 |month=June |pmid=17523982 |doi=10.1111/j.1360-0443.2007.01795.x |url=