Widukind Lenz
Encyclopedia
Widukind Lenz was a distinguished German
pediatrician, medical geneticist
and dysmorphologist who was among the first to recognize the thalidomide syndrome
in 1961 and alert the world to the dangers of limb and other malformations due to the mother's exposure to this drug during pregnancy.
In the ensuing years, Lenz did much important work on the thalidomide syndromehttp://www.tierversuchsgegner.org/Contergan/contergan-history.html. He also did work of value in clinical genetics and cytogenetics
. He described a number of malformation syndromes, several of which bear his name today.http://www.whonamedit.com/doctor.cfm/1002.html He was an editor of the journal Human Genetics and published a textbook of medical genetics.
Lenz studied medicine from 1937 to 1943. He was a physician in Luftwaffe
hospitals during World War II
and then in a
prisoner-of-war camp in England. After stints in biochemistry
in Göttingen
and medicine in Kiel
, he became physician-in-chief of the Eppendorfer Kinderklinik in 1952 and was named to the chair of pediatrics at the University of Hamburg
in 1961. Lenz became director of the Institute of Human Genetics in Münster
in 1965.
Widukind Lenz was the son of Fritz Lenz
, also a geneticist, but one of an entirely different stripe. Fritz Lenz espoused eugenics
and influenced the racial hygiene
policies of the Third Reich. Widukind Lenz died respected as an eminent physician and a humanitarian.
He was the brother of Hanfried Lenz
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
pediatrician, medical geneticist
Medical genetics
Medical genetics is the specialty of medicine that involves the diagnosis and management of hereditary disorders. Medical genetics differs from Human genetics in that human genetics is a field of scientific research that may or may not apply to medicine, but medical genetics refers to the...
and dysmorphologist who was among the first to recognize the thalidomide syndrome
Thalidomide
Thalidomide was introduced as a sedative drug in the late 1950s that was typically used to cure morning sickness. In 1961, it was withdrawn due to teratogenicity and neuropathy. There is now a growing clinical interest in thalidomide, and it is introduced as an immunomodulatory agent used...
in 1961 and alert the world to the dangers of limb and other malformations due to the mother's exposure to this drug during pregnancy.
In the ensuing years, Lenz did much important work on the thalidomide syndromehttp://www.tierversuchsgegner.org/Contergan/contergan-history.html. He also did work of value in clinical genetics and cytogenetics
Cytogenetics
Cytogenetics is a branch of genetics that is concerned with the study of the structure and function of the cell, especially the chromosomes. It includes routine analysis of G-Banded chromosomes, other cytogenetic banding techniques, as well as molecular cytogenetics such as fluorescent in situ...
. He described a number of malformation syndromes, several of which bear his name today.http://www.whonamedit.com/doctor.cfm/1002.html He was an editor of the journal Human Genetics and published a textbook of medical genetics.
Lenz studied medicine from 1937 to 1943. He was a physician in Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
hospitals during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and then in a
prisoner-of-war camp in England. After stints in biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
in Göttingen
Göttingen
Göttingen is a university town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Göttingen. The Leine river runs through the town. In 2006 the population was 129,686.-General information:...
and medicine in Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
, he became physician-in-chief of the Eppendorfer Kinderklinik in 1952 and was named to the chair of pediatrics at the University of Hamburg
University of Hamburg
The University of Hamburg is a university in Hamburg, Germany. It was founded on 28 March 1919 by Wilhelm Stern and others. It grew out of the previous Allgemeines Vorlesungswesen and the Kolonialinstitut as well as the Akademisches Gymnasium. There are around 38,000 students as of the start of...
in 1961. Lenz became director of the Institute of Human Genetics in Münster
Münster
Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
in 1965.
Widukind Lenz was the son of Fritz Lenz
Fritz Lenz
Fritz A Lenz was a German geneticist, member of the Nazi party, and influential specialist in "racial hygiene" during the Third Reich, one of the leading German theorists of "scientific racism" which legitimized the Nazi racial policies, starting with the 1935 Nuremberg Laws.- Biography...
, also a geneticist, but one of an entirely different stripe. Fritz Lenz espoused eugenics
Eugenics
Eugenics is the "applied science or the bio-social movement which advocates the use of practices aimed at improving the genetic composition of a population", usually referring to human populations. The origins of the concept of eugenics began with certain interpretations of Mendelian inheritance,...
and influenced the racial hygiene
Racial hygiene
Racial hygiene was a set of early twentieth century state sanctioned policies by which certain groups of individuals were allowed to procreate and others not, with the expressed purpose of promoting certain characteristics deemed to be particularly desirable...
policies of the Third Reich. Widukind Lenz died respected as an eminent physician and a humanitarian.
He was the brother of Hanfried Lenz
Hanfried Lenz
Hanfried Lenz is German mathematician, who is mainly known for his work in geometry and combinatorics.Hanfried Lenz is the eldest son of Fritz Lenz an influential German geneticist, who is associated with Eugenics and hence also with the Nazi racial policies during the Third Reich...
External links
- Dr. Widukind Lenz: History of Contergan (Thalidomide) Extract from a lecture by Widukind Lenz on the history of Contergan (Thalidomide) given at the 1992 UNITH Congress -- with a photograph of Widukind Lenz
- Information on the life and contributions of Widukind Lenz and the thalidomide syndrome, by Ole Daniel Enersen on the Whonamedit site