Melvin M. Grumbach
Encyclopedia
Melvin M. Grumbach is an American pediatrician and academic who specializes in pediatric endocrinology
. Currently Edward B. Shaw Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics, Emeritus at the University of California, San Francisco
School of Medicine, Grumbach is noted for his research and writing on the effect of hormones and the central nervous system
on growth and puberty and their disorders; the function of the human sex chromosomes; and disorders of sexual development.
in Brooklyn
, New York, and then attending Columbia College in New York City, Grumbach went on to earn his medical degree from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University
in 1948. He completed his internship at Mount Sinai Hospital
in 1949 and his residency at Babies Hospital, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in pediatrics under the direction of Rustin McIntosh in 1951. During the Korean War
he served as a captain in the United States Air Force Medical Corps, with assignments at Oak Ridge Institute of Nuclear Studies in Tennessee and at Fort Detrick
Biological Laboratories in Maryland. Following his military service, Grumbach did a fellowship with Lawson Wilkins
at Johns Hopkins. He then returned to Babies Hospital and Columbia University in 1955, becoming founding director of the Pediatric Endocrine Division at Babies Hospital. In 1966 Grumbach was recruited to the University of California San Francisco as chairman of the Department of Pediatrics, and in 1983 he was named the first Edward B. Shaw Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics. Grumbach served as chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at University of California San Francisco for over two decades, transforming the department into one of the leading academic centers for pediatrics in the country.
Grumbach has made many seminal contributions toward our understanding of pediatric endocrinology including extensive studies on the development and function of the endocrine and neuroendocrine systems from fetal life through puberty, as well as studies of the hormonal and genetic effects on growth, bone maturation, puberty, sex determination and differentiation (and their disorders) and disease-causing pathology. He is a past president of the Endocrine Society, the American Pediatric Society
, the Lawson Wilkins Pediatric Endocrine Society, the Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairmen, and honorary president of the International Endocrine Society.
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....
. Currently Edward B. Shaw Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics, Emeritus at the University of California, San Francisco
University of California, San Francisco
The University of California, San Francisco is one of the world's leading centers of health sciences research, patient care, and education. UCSF's medical, pharmacy, dentistry, nursing, and graduate schools are among the top health science professional schools in the world...
School of Medicine, Grumbach is noted for his research and writing on the effect of hormones and the central nervous system
Central nervous system
The central nervous system is the part of the nervous system that integrates the information that it receives from, and coordinates the activity of, all parts of the bodies of bilaterian animals—that is, all multicellular animals except sponges and radially symmetric animals such as jellyfish...
on growth and puberty and their disorders; the function of the human sex chromosomes; and disorders of sexual development.
Career
After graduating from New Utrecht High SchoolNew Utrecht High School
New Utrecht High School is a coeducational public high school in Brooklyn, New York City, serving 3,114 pupils. It is part of New York City Region 7....
in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York, and then attending Columbia College in New York City, Grumbach went on to earn his medical degree from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1948. He completed his internship at Mount Sinai Hospital
Mount Sinai Hospital
Mount Sinai Hospital may refer to:*Mount Sinai Hospital, New York*Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto*Mount Sinai Medical Center & Miami Heart Institute, Miami, Florida*Mount Sinai Hospital, Cleveland*Mount Sinai Hospital, Milwaukee...
in 1949 and his residency at Babies Hospital, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in pediatrics under the direction of Rustin McIntosh in 1951. During the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
he served as a captain in the United States Air Force Medical Corps, with assignments at Oak Ridge Institute of Nuclear Studies in Tennessee and at Fort Detrick
Fort Detrick
Fort Detrick is a U.S. Army Medical Command installation located in Frederick, Maryland, USA. Historically, Fort Detrick was the center for the United States' biological weapons program ....
Biological Laboratories in Maryland. Following his military service, Grumbach did a fellowship with Lawson Wilkins
Lawson Wilkins
-References:...
at Johns Hopkins. He then returned to Babies Hospital and Columbia University in 1955, becoming founding director of the Pediatric Endocrine Division at Babies Hospital. In 1966 Grumbach was recruited to the University of California San Francisco as chairman of the Department of Pediatrics, and in 1983 he was named the first Edward B. Shaw Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics. Grumbach served as chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at University of California San Francisco for over two decades, transforming the department into one of the leading academic centers for pediatrics in the country.
Grumbach has made many seminal contributions toward our understanding of pediatric endocrinology including extensive studies on the development and function of the endocrine and neuroendocrine systems from fetal life through puberty, as well as studies of the hormonal and genetic effects on growth, bone maturation, puberty, sex determination and differentiation (and their disorders) and disease-causing pathology. He is a past president of the Endocrine Society, the American Pediatric Society
American Pediatric Society
The American Pediatric Society / Society for Pediatric Research are joint professional and advocacy organizations for pediatricians in the United States and Canada....
, the Lawson Wilkins Pediatric Endocrine Society, the Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairmen, and honorary president of the International Endocrine Society.
Awards and honors
- 1966 Joseph Mather Smith Prize from Columbia UniversityColumbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
- 1971 Collège de FranceCollège de FranceThe Collège de France is a higher education and research establishment located in Paris, France, in the 5th arrondissement, or Latin Quarter, across the street from the historical campus of La Sorbonne at the intersection of Rue Saint-Jacques and Rue des Écoles...
Medal, Paris - 1971 Borden Award for Research in Pediatrics, American Academy of PediatricsAmerican Academy of PediatricsThe American Academy of Pediatrics is the major professional association of pediatricians in the United States. The AAP was founded in 1930 by 35 pediatricians to address pediatric healthcare standards. It currently has 60,000 members in primary care and sub-specialist areas...
- 1980 Robert H. Williams Distinguished Leadership Award, the Endocrine Society
- 1984 Elected Member, Institute of MedicineInstitute of MedicineThe Institute of Medicine is a not-for-profit, non-governmental American organization founded in 1970, under the congressional charter of the National Academy of Sciences...
of the National Academy of SciencesUnited States National Academy of SciencesThe National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and... - 1985 Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of ScienceAmerican Association for the Advancement of ScienceThe American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
- 1988 Alumni Gold Medal for Distinguished Achievement in Medicine from Columbia UniversityColumbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
College of Physicians and Surgeons - 1991 D.M. honoris causa, University of GenevaUniversity of GenevaThe University of Geneva is a public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland.It was founded in 1559 by John Calvin, as a theological seminary and law school. It remained focused on theology until the 17th century, when it became a center for Enlightenment scholarship. In 1873, it...
, Switzerland - 1992 Fred Conrad Koch Award and Medal for Research from the Endocrine Society
- 1995 Elected Member, National Academy of SciencesUnited States National Academy of SciencesThe National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
- 1995 Elected Fellow, American Academy of Arts and SciencesAmerican Academy of Arts and SciencesThe American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
- 1996 Lifetime Achievement Medical Education Award from the American Academy of PediatricsAmerican Academy of PediatricsThe American Academy of Pediatrics is the major professional association of pediatricians in the United States. The AAP was founded in 1930 by 35 pediatricians to address pediatric healthcare standards. It currently has 60,000 members in primary care and sub-specialist areas...
- 1997 John Howland AwardJohn Howland AwardThe John Howland Award, considered the highest award of the American Pediatric Society, has been given since 1952 to honor those who, by their contribution to pediatrics, have aided in its advancement. A statement of purpose from the society’s constitution forms the basis for selection:-Award...
from the American Pediatric SocietyAmerican Pediatric SocietyThe American Pediatric Society / Society for Pediatric Research are joint professional and advocacy organizations for pediatricians in the United States and Canada.... - 2000 D. honoris causa, University René Descartes, Paris V
- 2006 Judson J. Van Wyk Prize for Career Achievement in Pediatric Endocrinology from the Lawson Wilkins Pediatric Endocrine Society
- 2008 D. honoris causa, University of Athens, Greece
- 2010 Recipient of the University of California, San FranciscoUniversity of California, San FranciscoThe University of California, San Francisco is one of the world's leading centers of health sciences research, patient care, and education. UCSF's medical, pharmacy, dentistry, nursing, and graduate schools are among the top health science professional schools in the world...
Medal