Solomon Berson
Encyclopedia
Solomon Aaron Berson was an American
physician
and scientist
whose discoveries, mostly together with Rosalyn Yalow
, caused major advances in clinical biochemistry.
Born in New York City
, Berson was a keen musician and chess player. He graduated from the City College of New York
in 1938. After failing to obtain a place in medical school he earned an MSc
(1939) and an anatomy instructorship at New York University
before finally securing a place in NYU medical school in 1941. He completed his degree in 1945, and after internships in Boston and two years in the army he returned to New York to do an internal medicine
residency at the Bronx Veterans Affairs
Hospital.
His scientific work started in 1950, when he became member of the Radioisotope Service of the hospital, where he teamed with Rosalyn Yalow
in what eventually became an historic research parthership. He also set up a thyroid
service, where his approach was felt lastingly. Their early laboratory work concerned iodine
and human serum albumin
metabolism, but later on in the decade they shifted their focus to insulin
, a hormone which was difficult to measure in the blood. They developed the radioimmunoassay
, which gave very good results, and published their findings in 1960.
With the success of the insulin RIA, Berson and Yalow extended their success to other hormones, such as corticotropin, gastrin
, parathyroid hormone
and growth hormone
, making significant discoveries in their physiology along the way.
Berson, usually together with Yalow, received numerous awards for his work. In 1968, he was elected Murray M. Rosenberg Professor and Chair of Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine
of the City University of New York
, enjoying great popularity. He also served on the editorial boards of several medical journals. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences
in 1972, but died of a massive heart attack the same month in Atlantic City while attending a FASEB
meeting. In 1975 Berson and Yalow received the AMA Scientific Achievement Award
(Berson posthumously), and two years later Yalow received a Nobel Prize
for their joint work on the radioimmunoassay (Nobel prizes cannot be awarded posthumously).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
physician
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...
and scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
whose discoveries, mostly together with Rosalyn Yalow
Rosalyn Sussman Yalow
Rosalyn Sussman Yalow was an American medical physicist, and a co-winner of the 1977 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for development of the radioimmunoassay technique...
, caused major advances in clinical biochemistry.
Born in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Berson was a keen musician and chess player. He graduated from the City College of New York
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
in 1938. After failing to obtain a place in medical school he earned an MSc
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
(1939) and an anatomy instructorship at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
before finally securing a place in NYU medical school in 1941. He completed his degree in 1945, and after internships in Boston and two years in the army he returned to New York to do an internal medicine
Internal medicine
Internal medicine is the medical specialty dealing with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of adult diseases. Physicians specializing in internal medicine are called internists. They are especially skilled in the management of patients who have undifferentiated or multi-system disease processes...
residency at the Bronx Veterans Affairs
United States Department of Veterans Affairs
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is the United States government’s second largest department, after the United States Department of Defense...
Hospital.
His scientific work started in 1950, when he became member of the Radioisotope Service of the hospital, where he teamed with Rosalyn Yalow
Rosalyn Sussman Yalow
Rosalyn Sussman Yalow was an American medical physicist, and a co-winner of the 1977 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for development of the radioimmunoassay technique...
in what eventually became an historic research parthership. He also set up a thyroid
Thyroid
The thyroid gland or simply, the thyroid , in vertebrate anatomy, is one of the largest endocrine glands. The thyroid gland is found in the neck, below the thyroid cartilage...
service, where his approach was felt lastingly. Their early laboratory work concerned iodine
Iodine
Iodine is a chemical element with the symbol I and atomic number 53. The name is pronounced , , or . The name is from the , meaning violet or purple, due to the color of elemental iodine vapor....
and human serum albumin
Human serum albumin
Human serum albumin is the most abundant protein in human blood plasma. It is produced in the liver. Albumin constitutes about half of the blood serum protein...
metabolism, but later on in the decade they shifted their focus to insulin
Insulin
Insulin is a hormone central to regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. Insulin causes cells in the liver, muscle, and fat tissue to take up glucose from the blood, storing it as glycogen in the liver and muscle....
, a hormone which was difficult to measure in the blood. They developed the radioimmunoassay
Radioimmunoassay
Radioimmunoassay is a very sensitive in vitro assay technique used to measure concentrations of antigens by use of antibodies...
, which gave very good results, and published their findings in 1960.
With the success of the insulin RIA, Berson and Yalow extended their success to other hormones, such as corticotropin, gastrin
Gastrin
In humans, gastrin is a peptide hormone that stimulates secretion of gastric acid by the parietal cells of the stomach and aids in gastric motility. It is released by G cells in the antrum of the stomach, duodenum, and the pancreas...
, parathyroid hormone
Parathyroid hormone
Parathyroid hormone , parathormone or parathyrin, is secreted by the chief cells of the parathyroid glands as a polypeptide containing 84 amino acids...
and growth hormone
Growth hormone
Growth hormone is a peptide hormone that stimulates growth, cell reproduction and regeneration in humans and other animals. Growth hormone is a 191-amino acid, single-chain polypeptide that is synthesized, stored, and secreted by the somatotroph cells within the lateral wings of the anterior...
, making significant discoveries in their physiology along the way.
Berson, usually together with Yalow, received numerous awards for his work. In 1968, he was elected Murray M. Rosenberg Professor and Chair of Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Mount Sinai School of Medicine is an American medical school in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, currently ranked among the top 20 medical schools in the United States. It was chartered by Mount Sinai Hospital in 1963....
of the City University of New York
City University of New York
The City University of New York is the public university system of New York City, with its administrative offices in Yorkville in Manhattan. It is the largest urban university in the United States, consisting of 23 institutions: 11 senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E...
, enjoying great popularity. He also served on the editorial boards of several medical journals. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The 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...
in 1972, but died of a massive heart attack the same month in Atlantic City while attending a FASEB
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, abbreviated FASEB, is a non-profit organization that is the principal umbrella organization of U.S. societies in the field of biological and medical research. FASEB organizes academic conferences and publishes scientific literature...
meeting. In 1975 Berson and Yalow received the AMA Scientific Achievement Award
AMA Scientific Achievement Award
The AMA Scientific Achievement Award is awarded by American Medical Association. It may be given to either physicians or non-physician scientists who have contributed significantly to the field of medical science...
(Berson posthumously), and two years later Yalow received a Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine administered by the Nobel Foundation, is awarded once a year for outstanding discoveries in the field of life science and medicine. It is one of five Nobel Prizes established in 1895 by Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, in his will...
for their joint work on the radioimmunoassay (Nobel prizes cannot be awarded posthumously).