Philip Seeman
Encyclopedia
Philip Seeman, OC
, FRSC
(born February 8, 1934) is a Canadian schizophrenia
researcher and neuropharmacologist
, known for his research on dopamine
receptors.
Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Seeman was raised in Montreal
. He received a Bachelor of Science
degree, honours Physics & Physiology (1955), a Master of Science
degree, Physiology of Transport & Secretion (1956), and a Doctor of Medicine
(1960) from McGill University
. In 1966, he received a Ph.D. in Life Sciences from Rockefeller University
.
In 1967, Seeman became an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Toronto
. In 1970, he was appointed a Professor.
In 1974, having spent years in search for the binding site of antipsychotic medication, he discovered the dopamine D2 receptor
, the basis for the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia
.
In 2001, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
"for his research on dopamine receptors and their involvement in diseases such as schizophrenia, Parkinson's and Huntington's". In 1985, he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, FRSC
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
(born February 8, 1934) is a Canadian schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
researcher and neuropharmacologist
Neuropharmacology
Neuropharmacology is the study of how drugs affect cellular function in the nervous system. There are two main branches of neuropharmacology: behavioral and molecular. Behavioral neuropharmacology focuses on the study of how drugs affect human behavior , including the study of how drug dependence...
, known for his research on dopamine
Dopamine
Dopamine is a catecholamine neurotransmitter present in a wide variety of animals, including both vertebrates and invertebrates. In the brain, this substituted phenethylamine functions as a neurotransmitter, activating the five known types of dopamine receptors—D1, D2, D3, D4, and D5—and their...
receptors.
Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Seeman was raised in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. He received a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree, honours Physics & Physiology (1955), a Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
degree, Physiology of Transport & Secretion (1956), and a Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
(1960) from McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
. In 1966, he received a Ph.D. in Life Sciences from Rockefeller University
Rockefeller University
The Rockefeller University is a private university offering postgraduate and postdoctoral education. It has a strong concentration in the biological sciences. It is also known for producing numerous Nobel laureates...
.
In 1967, Seeman became an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
. In 1970, he was appointed a Professor.
In 1974, having spent years in search for the binding site of antipsychotic medication, he discovered the dopamine D2 receptor
Dopamine receptor
Dopamine receptors are a class of metabotropic G protein-coupled receptors that are prominent in the vertebrate central nervous system . The neurotransmitter dopamine is the primary endogenous ligand for dopamine receptors....
, the basis for the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia
Dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia
The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia or the dopamine hypothesis of psychosis is a model attributing symptoms of schizophrenia to a disturbed and hyperactive dopaminergic signal transduction. The model draws evidence from the observation that a large number of antipsychotics have...
.
In 2001, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
"for his research on dopamine receptors and their involvement in diseases such as schizophrenia, Parkinson's and Huntington's". In 1985, he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
.
External links
- Home Page of Philip Seeman's Laboratory
- Probing the Biology of Psychosis, Schizophrenia, and Antipsychotics: An Expert Interview With Dr. Philip Seeman, MD, PhD - an interview on the MedscapeMedscapeMedscape is a web resource for physicians and other health professionals. It features peer-reviewed original medical journal articles, CME , a customized version of the National Library of Medicine's MEDLINE database, daily medical news, major conference coverage, and drug information—including a...
website - Schizophrenia - an essay by Philip Seeman, November 2001