Pedro Cuatrecasas
Encyclopedia
Pedro Cuatrecasas is an American
biochemist
and an Adjunct Professor of Pharmacology & Medicine at the University of California, San Diego
.
, Spain
. He completed his A.B. from Washington University in St. Louis
in 1958. He completed his M.D. from Washington University in 1962.
(AZT, AIDS), acyclovir (Zovirax, anti-herpes), permethrin
(Rid, head and body lice), bupropion
(Wellbutrin, antidepressant), calsfosceril (Exosurf, infant acute respiratory distress), remifentanil
(Ultiva, analgesic/anesthetic), sumatriptan
(Imigran, migraine), salmeterol (Serement, asthma), tacrine
(Cognex, Alzheimers), gabapentin
(Neurontin, epilepsy and neuropathic pain), troglitazone
(Rezulin, diabetes), and atorvastatin
(Lipitor, cholesterol lowering).
In 1987 Pedro Cuatrecasas won the Wolf Prize in Medicine
in 1987 along with Meir Wilchek
"for the invention and development of affinity chromatography
and its applications to biomedical sciences."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
biochemist
Biochemist
Biochemists are scientists who are trained in biochemistry. Typical biochemists study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. The prefix of "bio" in "biochemist" can be understood as a fusion of "biological chemist."-Role:...
and an Adjunct Professor of Pharmacology & Medicine at the University of California, San Diego
University of California, San Diego
The University of California, San Diego, commonly known as UCSD or UC San Diego, is a public research university located in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, California, United States...
.
Birth and education
Pedro Cuatrecasas was born in 1936 in MadridMadrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. He completed his A.B. from Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
in 1958. He completed his M.D. from Washington University in 1962.
Research
Pedro Cuatrecasas is known for the invention and development of affinity chromatography, a process utilized within the Aethlon HemopurifierTM. He was involved in the discovery, development and marketing registration of more than forty medicines. Some of those medicines include: zidovudineZidovudine
Zidovudine or azidothymidine is a nucleoside analog reverse-transcriptase inhibitor , a type of antiretroviral drug used for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. It is an analog of thymidine....
(AZT, AIDS), acyclovir (Zovirax, anti-herpes), permethrin
Permethrin
Permethrin is a common synthetic chemical, widely used as an insecticide, acaricide, and insect repellent. It belongs to the family of synthetic chemicals called pyrethroids and functions as a neurotoxin, affecting neuron membranes by prolonging sodium channel activation. It is not known to...
(Rid, head and body lice), bupropion
Bupropion
Bupropion is an atypical antidepressant and smoking cessation aid. The drug is a non-tricyclic antidepressant and differs from most commonly prescribed antidepressants such as SSRIs, as its primary pharmacological action is thought to be norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibition...
(Wellbutrin, antidepressant), calsfosceril (Exosurf, infant acute respiratory distress), remifentanil
Remifentanil
Remifentanil is a potent ultra short-acting synthetic opioid analgesic drug. It is given to patients during surgery to relieve pain and as an adjunct to an anaesthetic. Remifentanil is used for sedation as well as combined with other medications for use in general anesthesia...
(Ultiva, analgesic/anesthetic), sumatriptan
Sumatriptan
Sumatriptan is a triptan sulfa drug containing a sulfonamide group. It is used for the treatment of migraine headaches. Sumatriptan is produced and marketed by various drug manufacturers with many different trade names such as Sumatriptan, Imitrex, Imigran, Imigran recovery.-Approval and...
(Imigran, migraine), salmeterol (Serement, asthma), tacrine
Tacrine
Tacrine is a centrally acting anticholinesterase and indirect cholinergic agonist . It was the first centrally-acting cholinesterase inhibitor approved for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, and was marketed under the trade name Cognex. Tacrine was first synthesised by Adrien Albert at the...
(Cognex, Alzheimers), gabapentin
Gabapentin
Gabapentin is a pharmaceutical drug, specifically a GABA analogue. It was originally developed for the treatment of epilepsy, and currently is also used to relieve neuropathic pain...
(Neurontin, epilepsy and neuropathic pain), troglitazone
Troglitazone
Troglitazone is an anti-diabetic and antiinflammatory drug, and a member of the drug class of the thiazolidinediones. It was developed by Daiichi Sankyo Co.. In the United States, it was introduced and manufactured by Parke-Davis in the late 1990s, but turned out to be associated with an...
(Rezulin, diabetes), and atorvastatin
Atorvastatin
Atorvastatin , sold by Pfizer under the trade name Lipitor, is a member of the drug class known as statins, used for lowering blood cholesterol. It also stabilizes plaque and prevents strokes through anti-inflammatory and other mechanisms...
(Lipitor, cholesterol lowering).
In 1987 Pedro Cuatrecasas won the Wolf Prize in Medicine
Wolf Prize in Medicine
The Wolf Prize in Medicine is awarded once a year by the Wolf Foundation in Israel. It is one of the six Wolf Prizes established by the Foundation and awarded since 1978; the others are in Agriculture, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Arts. The Prize is probably the third most prestigious award...
in 1987 along with Meir Wilchek
Meir Wilchek
Meir Wilchek is an Israeli biochemist.He is a professor at the Weizmann Institute of Science.-Early life and education:Meir Wilchek was born in Warsaw, Poland, scion of a rabbinical family...
"for the invention and development of affinity chromatography
Affinity chromatography
Affinity chromatography is a method of separating biochemical mixtures and based on a highly specific interaction such as that between antigen and antibody, enzyme and substrate, or receptor and ligand.-Uses:Affinity chromatography can be used to:...
and its applications to biomedical sciences."