PROFILES OF DOCTORS AWARDED THE PRIZE
SUNE BERGSTROM
Author: - EDWARD DOLNICK
Date: Tuesday, October 12, 1982
Page: ?????
Section: RUN OF PAPER
Sune Bergstrom, 66, has been studying prostaglandins at Stockholm's
Karolinska Institute for over three decades. That work has carried him far
from the laboratory. "There is probably no scientist who has done as much to
move out from basic science and into the area of public health, on a worldwide
scale," said Dr. David Hamburg, a professor at Harvard Medical School.
Because prostaglandins are important in regulating fertility, Bergstrom
developed an interest in family planning in developing countries. That
interest led him into the areas of tropical diseases and problems of
nutrition. For the last five years, Bergstrom has been chairman of the
Advisory Committee on Medical Research of the World Health Organization.
In that job, explains Hamburg, "Bergstrom spent probably half the last
five years in an airplane." He has established worldwide networks of thousands
of scientists working on health problems of developing countries; many of
these scientists participate in such work, says Hamburg, "in large part
because of Bergstrom's inspirational leadership."
Bergstrom stepped down last week from the chairmanship of his World Health
Organization committee. In a spontaneous demonstration of affection, speakers
from all over the world - few of whom knew anything about prostaglandins -
spoke of Bergstrom's dedication and generosity.
"Even without considering his work on prostaglandins," says Hamburg, "he
would deserve a Nobel prize for his work on the health problems of the
developing world."
Bergstrom earned degrees as a doctor of medical science in biochemistry
and another as a doctor of medicine, both from the Karolinska Institute in
1944. After a series of fellowships in Europe and the United States, he
returned to the Karolinska Institute in 1958. Bergstrom is married.John Vane
Dr. John Vane, of Wellcome Laboratories in Britain, first achieved renown
when he discovered in 1971 how aspirin works. He found that aspirin relieves
pain because it prevents the body from making certain prostaglandins. The
surprise was, in Vane's words, "that all prostaglandins are not good boys'
and some of them are bad boys' (pain producers* which are better eliminated."
Today the 55-year-old Vane has shifted his work to the cardiovascular
system, where he investigates such problems as blood clotting.
He says, "I believe that today we only know one-tenth as much about the
important biological processes as we shall know in 50 years time." Even within
the next 20 years, he says, "we should see a further substantial attack on the
disease process . . ."
Referring to the aging process, Vane compares human bodies to "foods
without preservatives, such as butter. Aas we get older, so we tend, like
food, to go off' - a little rancid,' getting more smelly, more disagreeable
and less attractive all the time. What we need are more anti-oxidants as
preservatives."
Vane, who is married, earned an undergraduate degree from the University
of Birmingham in chemistry, and a doctorate in science at Oxford in 1953.Bengt
Samuelsson
The youngest of the three prize winners is Bengt Samuelsson, 48, who once
worked as a graduate student for Bergstrom.
But the former teacher disclaimed credit for his student's achievement,
saying, "I don't think teaching means much. You have to have it in you."
Both Swedish scientists work at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. The
colleagues can be thought of as the founders of their field, according to Dr.
Edgar Haber of the Harvard Medical School.
Though prostaglandins were discovered some 50 years ago, it was only with
the research of Bergstrom in the 1950s that their workings began to be
revealed.
Bergstrom's breakthrough was to purify several prostaglandins and
determine their chemical structure. Samuelsson worked throughout the 1960s to
develop that early work of Bergstrom's.
Discussing the role of prostaglandins in the body, Samuelsson explained,
"It's a control system for the cells that participates in many biological
functions. There are endless possibilities of manipulating this system in drug
development."
Samuelsson followed Bergstrom as dean of the Karolinska medical school. He
has been a visiting professor of chemistry at Harvard since 1976.
Samuelsson earned doctorates in medical science and in medicine, both from
the Karolinska Institute. He is married.
TOLBER;10/11,19:49 LDRISC;10/13,15 B07796332
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