Andrea Prader
Encyclopedia
Andrea Prader was a Swiss scientist and physician
, pediatric endocrinologist
. He was one of the co-discoverers of the Prader-Willi syndrome
.
but lived in Zurich most of his life. He attended medical school in the Medizinischer Fakultät der Universität Zürich, University of Zurich
. During his residency between 1944 and 1946, he worked under G. Toendury in the Department of Anatomy
in Zurich, and then in 1947 in the Department of outpatient Medicine in Lausanne
under A. Vannotti. In 1947 he became assistant physician at the Children's Hospital in Zürich. In 1950 was the beginning of his career as pediatric endocrinologist
. His advanced research brought him to the U.S. in the early 1950s; Prader specialized at the Bellevue Hospital, New York
under the guidance of L.E. Holt, Jr, son of Luther Emmett Holt
. His lasting interests in endocrinology was attributed to his contacts with Lawson Wilkins
.
Prader received his doctorate in 1957. In 1962 he became professor at the Medical faculty at the Zurich University. In 1965 the long term department chief Guido Fanconi
retired and Prader succeeded him as professor and chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Zürich. He also took over the post of Director of the Children’s hospital (Kinderspital) and remained in these posts until 1986.
Prader has been involved in the discovery or description of:
, London
, received the Medal of the University of Helsinki
, the Medal of the University of Turku
, the Otto Naegeli
Award, the Berthold medal of the German Society of Endocrinology, and was Doctor Honoris Causa of the Tokushima University, Japan
. In 1962 and 1971 he was president of the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology.
, Stockholm
. Currently the award is funded by Pfizer, USA
.
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, pediatric endocrinologist
Pediatric endocrinology
Pediatric endocrinology is a medical subspecialty dealing with variations of physical growth and sexual development in childhood, as well as diabetes and other disorders of the endocrine glands....
. He was one of the co-discoverers of the Prader-Willi syndrome
Prader-Willi syndrome
Prader–Willi syndrome is a rare genetic disorder in which seven genes on chromosome 15 are deleted or unexpressed on the paternal chromosome...
.
Biography
Andrea Prader was born in Samaden, Grisons SwitzerlandSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
but lived in Zurich most of his life. He attended medical school in the Medizinischer Fakultät der Universität Zürich, University of Zurich
University of Zurich
The University of Zurich , located in the city of Zurich, is the largest university in Switzerland, with over 25,000 students. It was founded in 1833 from the existing colleges of theology, law, medicine and a new faculty of philosophy....
. During his residency between 1944 and 1946, he worked under G. Toendury in the Department of Anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
in Zurich, and then in 1947 in the Department of outpatient Medicine in Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
under A. Vannotti. In 1947 he became assistant physician at the Children's Hospital in Zürich. In 1950 was the beginning of his career as pediatric endocrinologist
Pediatric endocrinology
Pediatric endocrinology is a medical subspecialty dealing with variations of physical growth and sexual development in childhood, as well as diabetes and other disorders of the endocrine glands....
. His advanced research brought him to the U.S. in the early 1950s; Prader specialized at the Bellevue Hospital, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
under the guidance of L.E. Holt, Jr, son of Luther Emmett Holt
Luther Emmett Holt
Luther Emmett Holt was an American pediatrician and author, noted for writing The Care and Feeding of Children in 1894....
. His lasting interests in endocrinology was attributed to his contacts with Lawson Wilkins
Lawson Wilkins
-References:...
.
Prader received his doctorate in 1957. In 1962 he became professor at the Medical faculty at the Zurich University. In 1965 the long term department chief Guido Fanconi
Guido Fanconi
Guido Fanconi was a Swiss pediatrician. He was born in Poschiavo, Canton Grisons in the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland. Fanconi is regarded as one of the founders of modern pediatrics....
retired and Prader succeeded him as professor and chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Zürich. He also took over the post of Director of the Children’s hospital (Kinderspital) and remained in these posts until 1986.
Studies
Andrea Prader's fundamental studies were in pediatric endocrinology, however in his earlier works there are other topics in the field of pediatrics. Here are some of his works and collaborations listed in chronological order:- pediatric cardiologyCardiologyCardiology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the heart . The field includes diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease and electrophysiology...
, with Ettore Rossi (1948) - endocrine and metabolic disordersEndocrinologyEndocrinology is a branch of biology and medicine dealing with the endocrine system, its diseases, and its specific secretions called hormones, the integration of developmental events such as proliferation, growth, and differentiation and the coordination of...
- medical geneticsGeneticsGenetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
(1951) - pathophysiologyPathophysiologyPathophysiology is the study of the changes of normal mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions, either caused by a disease, or resulting from an abnormal syndrome...
of steroid hormonesSteroidA steroid is a type of organic compound that contains a characteristic arrangement of four cycloalkane rings that are joined to each other. Examples of steroids include the dietary fat cholesterol, the sex hormones estradiol and testosterone, and the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone.The core...
– including intersex-conditionsIntersexIntersex, in humans and other animals, is the presence of intermediate or atypical combinations of physical features that usually distinguish female from male...
and defects of the steroid synthesis (1953) - Prader-Gurtner syndrome, with HP Gurtner (1955)
- Prader-Labhart-Willi syndrome (1956)
Prader has been involved in the discovery or description of:
- lipoid congenital adrenal hyperplasiaLipoid congenital adrenal hyperplasiaLipoid congenital adrenal hyperplasia is an endocrine disorder that is an uncommon and potentially lethal form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia...
, with RE Siebenmann (1957) - hereditary fructose intolerance, with R. Froesh, A. Labhart et al. (1957)
- pseudo-vitamin D deficiencyHypovitaminosis DHypovitaminosis D is a deficiency of Vitamin D. It can result from: inadequate nutritional intake of vitamin D coupled with inadequate sunlight exposure , disorders that limit vitamin D absorption, and conditions that impair the conversion of vitamin D into active metabolites including certain...
with R. Illig et al. (1961) - AdrenoleukodystrophyAdrenoleukodystrophyAdrenoleukodystrophy is a rare, inherited disorder that leads to progressive brain damage, failure of the adrenal glands and eventually death. ALD is a disease in a group of genetic disorders called leukodystrophies, whose chief feature is damage to myelin...
, (ALD). In 1963, Andrea Prader participated in a research effort of a collective of scientists headed by Guido Fanconi that studied and described a condition related to chronic adrenal insufficiencyAdrenal insufficiencyAdrenal insufficiency is a condition in which the adrenal glands, located above the kidneys, do not produce adequate amounts of steroid hormones , primarily cortisol, but may also include impaired aldosterone production which regulates sodium, potassium and water retention...
combined with demyelinMyelinMyelin is a dielectric material that forms a layer, the myelin sheath, usually around only the axon of a neuron. It is essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system. Myelin is an outgrowth of a type of glial cell. The production of the myelin sheath is called myelination...
ating disease of the brainBrainThe brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
and peripheral nervous systemPeripheral nervous systemThe peripheral nervous system consists of the nerves and ganglia outside of the brain and spinal cord. The main function of the PNS is to connect the central nervous system to the limbs and organs. Unlike the CNS, the PNS is not protected by the bone of spine and skull, or by the blood–brain...
. They came up with diagnostic criteria, pathology and clinical picture of this heritable syndrome, described first by SiemerlingErnst SiemerlingErnst Siemerling was a German neurologist and psychiatrist born in Müssow near Greifswald.In 1882 he obtained his medical doctorate from the University of Marburg...
and CreutzfeldtHans Gerhard CreutzfeldtHans Gerhard Creutzfeldt was a German neuropathologist, who first described the Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. He was born in Harburg upon Elbe and died in Munich.-Biography:...
in a publication in 1923 of a clinical case they have encountered and the team named it originally after Thomas AddisonThomas AddisonThomas Addison was a renowned 19th-century English physician and scientist. He is traditionally regarded as one of the "great men" of Guy's Hospital in London....
and Paul Ferdinand SchilderPaul Ferdinand SchilderPaul Ferdinand Schilder was an Austrian psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, researcher and author of numerous scientific publications. He was a pupil of Sigmund Freud...
(Addison-Schilder's disease). Today the eponymous title recognizes the physicians who first described it (Siemerling and Creutzfeld). The public became familiar with one case of the disease in the movie "Lorenzo's oilLorenzo's oilLorenzo's oil is a 4:1 mixture of glycerol trioleate and glycerol trierucate , prepared from olive oil and rapeseed oil....
." This is a primarily pediatric progressive metabolic disorderMetabolismMetabolism is the set of chemical reactions that happen in the cells of living organisms to sustain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. Metabolism is usually divided into two categories...
, demonstrating most commonly in boys between the ages of 5 and 15 and combining the characteristics of Addison’s disease and diffuse myelinoclastic sclerosisDiffuse myelinoclastic sclerosisDiffuse myelinoclastic sclerosis, sometimes referred to as "Schilder's disease", is a very infrequent neurodegenerative disease that presents clinically as pseudotumoural demyelinating lesions, that make its diagnosis difficult...
(Schilder's disease). Females are not affected by the condition, however due to linkage of heredityGeneticsGenetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
with the X chromosomeX chromosomeThe X chromosome is one of the two sex-determining chromosomes in many animal species, including mammals and is common in both males and females. It is a part of the XY sex-determination system and X0 sex-determination system...
, they are thought to be genetic carrierGenetic carrierA genetic carrier , is a person or other organism that has inherited a genetic trait or mutation, but who does not display that trait or show symptoms of the disease. They are, however, able to pass the gene onto their offspring, who may then express the gene...
s.
International acclaim
Between 1972 and 1974 he was member of honor and president of the Swiss Pediatric Society (Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Pädiatrie); he also held honorary memberships in the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina (1968). He was Fellow of the Royal College of PhysiciansRoyal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, received the Medal of the University of Helsinki
University of Helsinki
The University of Helsinki is a university located in Helsinki, Finland since 1829, but was founded in the city of Turku in 1640 as The Royal Academy of Turku, at that time part of the Swedish Empire. It is the oldest and largest university in Finland with the widest range of disciplines available...
, the Medal of the University of Turku
University of Turku
The University of Turku , located in Turku in southwestern Finland, is the second largest university in the country as measured by student enrollment, after University of Helsinki. It was established in 1920 and also has faculties at Rauma, Pori and Salo...
, the Otto Naegeli
Otto Naegeli
Prof. Dr. Otto Naegeli , was a Swiss hematologist. He was the brother of Oskar Naegeli.He is best known for refining the classification of leukemia by dividing them into myelogenous and lymphocytic classes...
Award, the Berthold medal of the German Society of Endocrinology, and was Doctor Honoris Causa of the Tokushima University, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. In 1962 and 1971 he was president of the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology.
The Andrea Prader Prize
The Andrea Prader Prize is an annual Leadership Award, established in 1987 and given to a member of the European Society for Pediatric Endocrinology in recognition of their achievements in the field of pediatric endocrinology. At the establishment of the prize funds were provided by the Pharmacia & UpjohnPharmacia
Pharmacia was a pharmaceutical and biotechnological company in Sweden.-History:Pharmacia was founded in 1911 in Stockholm, Sweden by pharmacist Gustav Felix Grönfeldt at the Elgen Pharmacy. The company is named after the Greek word φαρμακεία, transliterated pharmakeia, which means 'sorcery'...
, Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. Currently the award is funded by Pfizer, USA
Pfizer
Pfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...
.