John Jacob Abel

Infobox Scientist
name = John Jacob Abel
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caption = John Jacob Abel
birth_date = May 19, 1857
birth_place = Cleveland, Ohio
death_date = May 26, 1938
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nationality = American
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field = biochemist pharmacologist
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alma_mater = University of Michigan
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John Jacob Abel (May 19, 1857 – May 26, 1938) was a significant American biochemist and pharmacologist.

Born near Cleveland, Ohio, he graduated with a Ph.D. 1883 from the University of Michigan. In 1891 he founded and chaired the first department of pharmacology in the United States at the University of Michigan. In 1893, he went on to chair the pharmacology department at Johns Hopkins University. In 1897, he was the second to isolate epinephrine, also known as adrenaline (the first was Napoleon Cybulski in 1895), although the extracts he produced have been shown to be mostly an inactive metabolite and the first pure extracts were produced by the Japanese Jokichi Takamine (1854-1922) who patented the formulation under the name adrenalin. He later formulated the idea of the artificial kidney and in 1914 he isolated amino acids from the blood.

He spent years unsuccessfully searching for the pituitary hormone, unaware that he was in fact looking for several hormones. In 1926, he reported the isolation and crystallization of insulin, though this announcement was met with considerable scepticism and not generally accepted for many years.

Abel also co-founded the "Journal of Biological Chemistry" with Christian Archibald Herter in 1905 and the "Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics" in 1909.

References

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publication-date=1982
year=1982
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year=1982
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periodical=Bulletin of the history of medicine
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publication-date=1976
year=1976
title=Pharmacology's giant: John Jacob Abel.
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periodical=Johns Hopkins Med. J. Suppl.
pages=49-59
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url= http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4606906
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year=1974
title=Pharmacology's giant: John Jacob Abel.
volume=135
issue=4
periodical=The Johns Hopkins medical journal
pages=245-58
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url= http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/5340582
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publication-date=1967
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title=John Jacob Abel and the crystallization of insulin.
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*Citation
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url= http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14118479
last=DARBY
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publication-date=1964 Feb
year=1964
title=ON TEACHING PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS IN OUR MEDICAL SCHOOLS. DELIBERATION UPON AND A REPHRASING OF AN ARTICLE BY JOHN J. ABEL.
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last3=Heingartner
first3=A
publication-date=
year=
title=John Jacob ABEL at Michigan. The introduction of pharmacology into the medical curriculum.
volume=29
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periodical=Medical bulletin (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
pages=1-14
*Citation
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url= http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/13573011
last=MARSHALL
first=E K
publication-date=
year=
title=An exhibit at the centennial celebration of John Jacob Abel's birth.
volume=32
issue=4
periodical=Bulletin of the history of medicine
pages=356-65
*Citation
id = PMID:13489405
url= http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/13489405
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first=T
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first2=S
last3=VOEGTLIN
first3=C
last4=ROWNTREE
first4=L G
publication-date=1957 Dec
year=1957
title=Centenary of the birth of John Jacob Abel.
volume=101
issue=6
periodical=Bulletin of the Johns Hopkins Hospital
pages=298-328