Biography
Bernardo
Alberto Houssay was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on April
10, 1887, one of the eight children of Dr. Albert and Clara
(née Laffont) Houssay, who had come to Argentina from
France. His father was a barrister. His early education was at a
private school, the Colegio Británico. He then entered the
School of Pharmacy of the University of Buenos Aires at the exceptionally
early age of 14, graduating in 1904. He had already begun
studying medicine and, in 1907, before completing his studies, he
took up a post in the Department of Physiology. He began here his
research on the hypophysis which resulted in his M.D.-thesis
(1911), a thesis which earned him a University prize.
In 1910 he was appointed Professor of Physiology in the
University's School of Veterinary Medicine. During this time he
had been doing hospital practice and, in 1913, became Chief
Physician at the Alvear Hospital. In addition to this he was also
in charge of the Laboratory of Experimental Physiology and
Pathology in the National Department of Hygiene from 1915 to
1919. In 1919 he became Professor of Physiology in the Medical
School at Buenos Aires University. He also organized the
Institute of Physiology at the Medical School, making it a centre
with an international reputation. He remained Professor and
Director of the Institute until 1943. In this year the Government
then in power deprived him of his post, as a result of his
voicing his opinion that there should be effective democracy in
the country. Although receiving many invitations from abroad, he
continued his work in an institute which he organized with the
support of funds contributed by the Sauberan Foundation and other
bodies. This was the Instituto de Biología y Medicina
Experimental, where he still remains as Director. In 1955 a
new Government reinstated him in the University.
He has worked in almost every field of physiology, having a
special interest in the endocrine glands. He has made a lifelong
study of the hypophysis and his most important discovery concerns
the role of the anterior lobe of the hypophysis in carbohydrate
metabolism and the onset of diabetes. He has worked on many other
topics in physiology and pharmacology, including the physiology
of circulation and respiration, the processes of immunity, the
nervous system, digestion, and snake and spider venoms.
Apart from his research, he has been active in promoting the
advancement of university and medical education, and of
scientific research, in Argentina.
"Bernardo Houssay - Biography". Nobelprize.org. 10
Apr 2013
