Barnett Rosenberg
Encyclopedia
Barnett Rosenberg was an American chemist
best known for the discovery of the anti-cancer
drug cisplatin
.
Rosenberg graduated from Brooklyn College
in 1948 and obtained his PhD in Physics at New York University
(NYU) in 1956. He joined Michigan State University
in 1961 and worked there until 1997.
In 1965, Rosenberg and his colleagues proved that certain platinum
-containing compounds inhibited cell division
and then in 1969 showed that they cured solid tumors. The chemotherapy
drug that eventually resulted from this work, cisplatin
, obtained US Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) approval in 1978 and went on to become a widely used anticancer drug. The initial discovery was quite serendipitous. Rosenberg was looking into the effects of an electric field
on the growth of bacteria
. He noticed that bacteria ceased to divide when placed in an electric field and eventually pinned down the cause of this phenomenon to the platinum electrode
he was using.
He was awarded the Charles F. Kettering Prize
in 1984 and the Harvey Prize
in 1984.
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
best known for the discovery of the anti-cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
drug cisplatin
Cisplatin
Cisplatin, cisplatinum, or cis-diamminedichloroplatinum is a chemotherapy drug. It is used to treat various types of cancers, including sarcomas, some carcinomas , lymphomas, and germ cell tumors...
.
Rosenberg graduated from Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
in 1948 and obtained his PhD in Physics 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...
(NYU) in 1956. He joined Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
in 1961 and worked there until 1997.
In 1965, Rosenberg and his colleagues proved that certain platinum
Platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal...
-containing compounds inhibited cell division
Cell division
Cell division is the process by which a parent cell divides into two or more daughter cells . Cell division is usually a small segment of a larger cell cycle. This type of cell division in eukaryotes is known as mitosis, and leaves the daughter cell capable of dividing again. The corresponding sort...
and then in 1969 showed that they cured solid tumors. The chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....
drug that eventually resulted from this work, cisplatin
Cisplatin
Cisplatin, cisplatinum, or cis-diamminedichloroplatinum is a chemotherapy drug. It is used to treat various types of cancers, including sarcomas, some carcinomas , lymphomas, and germ cell tumors...
, obtained US Food and Drug Administration
Food and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...
(FDA) approval in 1978 and went on to become a widely used anticancer drug. The initial discovery was quite serendipitous. Rosenberg was looking into the effects of an electric field
Electric field
In physics, an electric field surrounds electrically charged particles and time-varying magnetic fields. The electric field depicts the force exerted on other electrically charged objects by the electrically charged particle the field is surrounding...
on the growth of bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
. He noticed that bacteria ceased to divide when placed in an electric field and eventually pinned down the cause of this phenomenon to the platinum electrode
Electrode
An electrode is an electrical conductor used to make contact with a nonmetallic part of a circuit...
he was using.
He was awarded the Charles F. Kettering Prize
Kettering Prize
The Kettering Prize was given for the most outstanding recent contribution to the diagnosis or treatment of cancer.This award was named in honor of Charles F. Kettering, inventor, former General Motors Director, and pioneer of the General Motors Research Laboratories.Past winners are:*2005 Angela...
in 1984 and the Harvey Prize
Harvey Prize
The Harvey Prize is awarded by the Technion in Haifa, Israel. It is awarded in different disciplines of Science, Technology, Human Health, and Contributions to Peace in the Middle East. Two awards - each of $75,000 - are given away annually...
in 1984.