Alain Touwaide
Encyclopedia
Alain Touwaide is a Belgian historian of medicine
and sciences currently researching at the Smithsonian Institution
, Washington D. C.
His education includes first degrees in classics
(1975) as well as oriental philology and history (1977) and a PhD in classics (1981), all earned at the University of Louvain. He received his “habilitation à diriger des recherches” (capability of directing research) at the University of Toulouse
(1997). He won numerous prizes and grants, amongst others of the Earth Watch Institute, and has taught at several universities in Spain, Italy, France and Belgium. Professor Touwaide is proficient in twelve languages.
His main research area is medicinal plants of Antiquity, his approach being transdisciplinary
, that is, not only philological and historical, but also botanical and medical, ethnological and anthropological, constituting ethnobotany
and ethnopharmacology
. In 2005, Touwaide received a grant of the National Institutes of Health
for a four year research project “Medicinal plants of Antiquity: A Computerized Database”. Ancient Greek therapeutical texts are to be digitized, indexed and analyzed both in the original and in translation.
From 2007-2008 he was President of the Washington Academy of Sciences.
History of medicine
All human societies have medical beliefs that provide explanations for birth, death, and disease. Throughout history, illness has been attributed to witchcraft, demons, astral influence, or the will of the gods...
and sciences currently researching at the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
, Washington D. C.
His education includes first degrees in classics
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
(1975) as well as oriental philology and history (1977) and a PhD in classics (1981), all earned at the University of Louvain. He received his “habilitation à diriger des recherches” (capability of directing research) at the University of Toulouse
University of Toulouse
The Université de Toulouse is a consortium of French universities, grandes écoles and other institutions of higher education and research, named after one of the earliest universities established in Europe in 1229, and including the successor universities to that earlier university...
(1997). He won numerous prizes and grants, amongst others of the Earth Watch Institute, and has taught at several universities in Spain, Italy, France and Belgium. Professor Touwaide is proficient in twelve languages.
His main research area is medicinal plants of Antiquity, his approach being transdisciplinary
Transdisciplinarity
Transdisciplinarity connotes a research strategy that crosses many disciplinary boundaries to create a holistic approach. It applies to research efforts focused on problems that cross the boundaries of two or more disciplines, such as research on effective information systems for biomedical...
, that is, not only philological and historical, but also botanical and medical, ethnological and anthropological, constituting ethnobotany
Ethnobotany
Ethnobotany is the scientific study of the relationships that exist between people and plants....
and ethnopharmacology
Ethnopharmacology
Ethnopharmacology is the scientific study of ethnic groups and their use of drugs.Ethnopharmacology is distinctly linked to plant use, botany, as this is the main delivery of pharmaceuticals. It is also often associated with ethnopharmacy...
. In 2005, Touwaide received a grant of the National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
for a four year research project “Medicinal plants of Antiquity: A Computerized Database”. Ancient Greek therapeutical texts are to be digitized, indexed and analyzed both in the original and in translation.
From 2007-2008 he was President of the Washington Academy of Sciences.
Selected publications
- Peter DendlePeter DendlePeter Dendle is an Associate Professor of English at Penn State Mont Alto, teaching classes on Old and Middle English , folklore, 20th and 21st century representations of the Middle Ages, and the monstrous...
& Alain Touwaide & (eds.). Health and Healing from the Medieval Garden. Proceedings of the 15th Annual Medieval Studies Conference at The Pennsylvania State University. Boydell& Brewer, 2008. - Jean A. Givens, Karen M. Reeds & Alain Touwaide (eds). Visualizing Medieval Medicine and Natural History, 1200-1500 (AVISTA Studies in the History of Medieval Technology, Science and Art, volume 5). Ashgate, 2006.
- Gianni Aliotta, Daniele Piomelli, Antonino Pollio & Alain Touwaide. Le piante medicinali del “Corpus Hippocraticum (Hippocratica Civitas 5). Guerini Associati, 2003.