Ralph F. Hirschmann
Ralph F. Hirschmann | |
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| Born | May 6, 1922 Medicinal Chemistry |
| Institutions | Medical University of South Carolina University of Pennsylvania Merck & Co. |
Ralph Franz Hirschmann (May 6, 1922 – June 20, 2009) was a
Early life and education
Born on May 6, 1922, in
Medicinal Chemistry career
While at Merck & Co., where he was hired as a researcher in 1950, he led a team that developed a method to synthesize the enzyme ribonuclease. His team was successful, with their results announced in January 1969 parallel with those from a separate team led by Bernd Gutte and Robert Bruce Merrifield at Rockefeller University who also achieved synthesis of the same enzyme using a different method. The comparatively simple 124-amino acid structure of ribonuclease made it a logical target for the first enzyme to synthesize. Hirschmann's team built the enzyme in amino acid groups from six to 17 in length which were assembled into two large sections that were linked together, while Merrifield's approach was to assemble the entire enzyme by linking one amino acid at a time at the end of a chain.[1][3] The achievement was front-page news in The New York Times, heralding the fact that "An Enzyme Is Synthesized for First Time" and providing coverage of a joint announcement by the two teams. While no immediate applications were foreseen, the Merck team noted that the ability to synthesize enzymes opened a new class of drugs for potential therapeutic use.[4]
In Hirschmann's obituary in The New York Times, chemist Daniel Rich described the feat of synthesizing an enzyme as "a huge discovery" that "bridged the interface between
As head of Merck's department of new lead discovery starting in 1971 and as senior vice president for basic research in chemistry starting in 1978, serving until the retirement age of 65, when he left the firm in 1987, Hirschmann played a pivotal role in the development of many of the firm's products.
Following his departure from Merck, Hirschmann taught at the University of Pennsylvania and the Medical University of South Carolina until his retirement in 2006.[1]
Awards and recognition
When Merrifield was awarded the
He was awarded the National Medal of Science in 2000 by President of the United States Bill Clinton. He was presented the award at a December 1, 2000, dinner by Dr. Neal Francis Lane, Assistant to the President for Science & Technology:[5]
For his seminal contributions to organic and to medicinal chemistry including the synthesis in solution of an enzyme (ribonuclease), his stimulation of peptide research in the Pharmaceutical Industry and for his leadership role in fostering interdisciplinary research in academia and in industry, which led to the discovery of several widely prescribed medications for human and animal health.
Hirschmann received the Arthur C. Cope Award for achievement in the field of organic chemistry research from the American Chemical Society in 1999[6] and the American Institute of Chemists Gold Medal in 2003.[7]
The Ralph F. Hirschmann Award in Peptide Chemistry is given out "to recognize and encourage outstanding achievements in the chemistry, biochemistry, and biophysics of peptides." The award was established in 1988 by Merck Research Laboratories.[8]
Personal
Hirschmann died at age 87 on June 29, 2009, due to
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Hevesi, Dennis (July 18, 2009), "Ralph F. Hirschmann, Leading Scientist on Early Enzyme Research, Dies at 87", The New York Times
- ^ University of Wisconsinpress release. Accessed July 19, 2009.
- ^ Staff. "Synthesis of an Enzyme", Time (magazine), January 24, 1969. Accessed July 19, 2009.
- ^ Sullivan, Walter (January 17, 1969), "An Enzyme Is Synthesized for First Time", The New York Times
- ^ The President's National Medal of Science: Recipient Details - Ralph F. Hirschmann, National Science Foundation. Accessed July 19, 2009.
- ^ Downey, Sally A. "Medicinal chemist honored nationally", The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 28, 2009. Accessed July 19, 2009.
- ^ "Gold Medal Awards". American Institute of Chemists. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
- ^ "Ralph F. Hirschmann Award in Peptide Chemistry". American Chemical Society. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
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