Carl Ferdinand Cori
Encyclopedia
Carl Ferdinand Cori was a Czech biochemist
and pharmacologist born in Prague
(then in Austria-Hungary
, now Czech Republic
) who, together with his wife Gerty Cori
and Argentine physiologist Bernardo Houssay
, received a Nobel Prize
in 1947 for their discovery of how glycogen
(animal starch) – a derivative of glucose
– is broken down and resynthesized in the body, for use as a store and source of energy. In 2004 both were designated an ACS National Historical Chemical Landmark
in recognition of their work that elucidated carbohydrate metabolism.
where his father was the director of the Marine Biological Station. In late 1914 the Cori family moved to Prague
and Carl entered the medical school of Charles University in Prague
. While studying there he met Gerty Theresa Radnitz
. He was drafted into the Austro-Hungarian Army
and served in the ski corps, and later was transferred to the sanitary corps, for which he set up a laboratory in Trieste. At the end of the war Carl completed his studies, graduating with Gerty in 1920. Carl and Gerty married that year and worked together in clinics in Vienna
.
Carl was invited to Graz to work with Otto Loewi
to study the effect of the vagus nerve
on the heart
, Loewi would receive the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1936 for this work. While Carl was in Graz, Gerty remained in Vienna. A year later Carl was offered a position at the State Institute for the Study of Malignant Diseases (now the Roswell Park Cancer Institute
) in Buffalo, New York and the Cori's moved to Buffalo.
While at the Institute the Cori's research focussed on carbohydrate metabolism
, leading to the definition of the Cori cycle
in 1929, for which they received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1947. In 1928, they became naturalized citizens of the United States. In 1931 Carl accepted a position at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri
. Carl joined as professor of pharmacology and in 1942 was made professor of biochemistry.
In 1946, he won the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research
.
Gerty died in 1957, Carl married Anne Fitz-Gerald Jones in 1960. Carl stayed on at Washington University until 1966, when he retired as chair of the biochemistry department. Following retirement Cori moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts
, Harvard University
laboratory space at the Massachusetts General Hospital, where he pursued research in genetics.
Carl shares a star with Gerty on the St. Louis Walk of Fame
.
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...
and pharmacologist born in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
(then in Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, now Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
) who, together with his wife Gerty Cori
Gerty Cori
Gerty Theresa Cori was an American biochemist who became the third woman—and first American woman—to win a Nobel Prize in science, and the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.Cori was born in Prague...
and Argentine physiologist Bernardo Houssay
Bernardo Houssay
-External links:* * . WhoNamedIt.* . Nobel Foundation....
, received a Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
in 1947 for their discovery of how glycogen
Glycogen
Glycogen is a molecule that serves as the secondary long-term energy storage in animal and fungal cells, with the primary energy stores being held in adipose tissue...
(animal starch) – a derivative of glucose
Glucose
Glucose is a simple sugar and an important carbohydrate in biology. Cells use it as the primary source of energy and a metabolic intermediate...
– is broken down and resynthesized in the body, for use as a store and source of energy. In 2004 both were designated an ACS National Historical Chemical Landmark
ACS National Historical Chemical Landmarks
The National Historic Chemical Landmarks Program was launched by the American Chemical Society in 1992 and has recognized more than 60 landmarks to date. The program celebrates the centrality of chemistry...
in recognition of their work that elucidated carbohydrate metabolism.
Biography
Carl was the son of Carl Cori, a physician, and Martha Lippich, he grew up in TriesteTrieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
where his father was the director of the Marine Biological Station. In late 1914 the Cori family moved to Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
and Carl entered the medical school of Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1348, it was the first university in Central Europe and is also considered the earliest German university...
. While studying there he met Gerty Theresa Radnitz
Gerty Cori
Gerty Theresa Cori was an American biochemist who became the third woman—and first American woman—to win a Nobel Prize in science, and the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.Cori was born in Prague...
. He was drafted into the Austro-Hungarian Army
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint army , the Austrian Landwehr , and the Hungarian Honvédség .In the wake of fighting between the...
and served in the ski corps, and later was transferred to the sanitary corps, for which he set up a laboratory in Trieste. At the end of the war Carl completed his studies, graduating with Gerty in 1920. Carl and Gerty married that year and worked together in clinics in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
.
Carl was invited to Graz to work with Otto Loewi
Otto Loewi
Otto Loewi was a German born pharmacologist whose discovery of acetylcholine helped enhance medical therapy. The discovery earned for him the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1936 which he shared with Sir Henry Dale, whom he met in 1902 when spending some months in Ernest Starling's...
to study the effect of the vagus nerve
Vagus nerve
The vagus nerve , also called pneumogastric nerve or cranial nerve X, is the tenth of twelve paired cranial nerves...
on the heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
, Loewi would receive the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1936 for this work. While Carl was in Graz, Gerty remained in Vienna. A year later Carl was offered a position at the State Institute for the Study of Malignant Diseases (now the Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Roswell Park Cancer Institute
The Roswell Park Cancer Institute is a comprehensive cancer research and treatment center located in Buffalo, New York. Founded in 1898 by Dr. Roswell Park, it was the first dedicated medical facility for cancer treatment and research in the United States. The facility is involved in drug...
) in Buffalo, New York and the Cori's moved to Buffalo.
While at the Institute the Cori's research focussed on carbohydrate metabolism
Carbohydrate metabolism
Carbohydrate metabolism denotes the various biochemical processes responsible for the formation, breakdown and interconversion of carbohydrates in living organisms....
, leading to the definition of the Cori cycle
Cori cycle
The Cori cycle , named after its discoverers, Carl Cori and Gerty Cori, refers to the metabolic pathway in which lactate produced by anaerobic glycolysis in the muscles moves to the liver and is converted to glucose, which then returns to the muscles and is converted back to lactate.-Cycle:Muscular...
in 1929, for which they received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1947. In 1928, they became naturalized citizens of the United States. In 1931 Carl accepted a position at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. Carl joined as professor of pharmacology and in 1942 was made professor of biochemistry.
In 1946, he won the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research
Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research
The Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research is one of the prizes awarded by the Lasker Foundation for the understanding, diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and cure of disease...
.
Gerty died in 1957, Carl married Anne Fitz-Gerald Jones in 1960. Carl stayed on at Washington University until 1966, when he retired as chair of the biochemistry department. Following retirement Cori moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
, Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
laboratory space at the Massachusetts General Hospital, where he pursued research in genetics.
Carl shares a star with Gerty on the St. Louis Walk of Fame
St. Louis Walk of Fame
The St. Louis Walk of Fame honors well-known people from St. Louis, Missouri, who made contributions to culture of the United States. All inductees were either born in the Greater St. Louis area or spent their formative or creative years there...
.
Further reading
- Ihde, A.J. Cori, Carl Ferdinand, and Gerty Theresa Radnitz Cori. American National Biography Online Feb 2000.