George Karreman
Encyclopedia
George Karreman was a Dutch
-born US physicist, mathematical biophysicist and mathematical/theoretical biologist. He was the first President of the Society for Mathematical Biology
(SMB).
. In August 1948 Karreman emigrated to Chicago, USA, where he contacted Nicolas Rashevsky
at the University of Chicago
. He became one of Rashevsky' s best PhD students in Mathematical Biophysics. In 1950 Karreman underwent experimental heart surgery for an aortic coarctation at the University of Chicago. He married Anneke Halbertsma in 1953, and they moved to Cape Cod
, Massachusetts
, where their daughter, Grace, was born in 1954. In succession, his first son, Frank Karreman was born in 1958, and then in 1962 his second son, Hubert-Jan. Later, his three children received advanced degrees from the University of Pennsylvania
in several fields.
Karreman was an exceptionally devoted educator, who was always supportive of his research associates, family, and friends; he was a generous man, obviously having not forgotten Rashevsky's help in his early life at the University of Chicago. He had a wide range of interests in his readings, a keen interest in the fine arts—such as paintings, was an advanced chess player, and a most devoted husband and father. Between 1987 and 1997, he frequently travelled to the Pacific Northwest where his son and daughter had their homes and children.
in Theoretical Physics under the supervision of Hendrik Anthony Kramers
at Leiden University. For the remainder of World War II
he survived by tutoring students in physics and mathematics. He was awarded a University of Chicago Fellowship that supported him to complete a Ph.D.
in Mathematical Biology in 1951 under the supervision of the founder of Mathematical Biophysics and Mathematical Biology, Nicolas Rashevsky. Karreman was then selected as a consultant to Albert Szent-Györgyi
at the Institute for Muscle Research, Marine Biological Laboratory
, Woods Hole. To follow his interest in mathematics applied to biology, physiology, and medicine he went to Philadelphia in 1957, to take up the position of Senior Medical Research Scientist at the Eastern Research Center. He was appointed associate professor of physiology at the School of Medicine in the University of Pennsylvania, where he also worked at the Bockus Research Institute at the Graduate Hospital. He was promoted to Full Professor of Physiology at the same university in 1972, where he held this position until 1983, when he became the first Professor Emeritus of Mathematical Biology
. His main research interests were many, but all were in related fields that included: mathematical biology and mathematical biophysics
, membrane biophysics, photosynthetic mechanisms, quantum biochemistry and quantum biophysics, biological energy transfer, quantum biology, physiological irritability, mathematical and systems analysis of cardiovascular and other biosystems, cooperativity, threshold phenomena in biomembranes, adsorption mechanisms at membrane surfaces and ion binding to biomembranes.
After Rashevsky's passing away in 1972, Karreman was a co-founder of the Society for Mathematical Biology
(SMB) in 1974—together with H. Landahl and A. Bartholomay, and in 1975 he became its first president. Karreman was also a member of several prestigious scientific societies, including the American Physiological Society
, the New York Academy of Sciences
, the Franklin Institute
, the Society for Supramolecular Biology, Sigma Xi
, the Physiological Society of Philadelphia, and the Society for Vascular System Dynamics.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
-born US physicist, mathematical biophysicist and mathematical/theoretical biologist. He was the first President of the Society for Mathematical Biology
Society for Mathematical Biology
The Society for Mathematical Biology is an international association co-founded in 1972 in USA by Drs.George Karreman, Herbert Daniel Landahl and by Anthony Bartholomay for the furtherance of joint scientific activities between Mathematics and Biology research communities,...
(SMB).
Biography
Karreman's father was Chief Engineer for the Dutch Merchant Marine. George Karreman studied physics and mathematics at Leiden UniversityLeiden University
Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
. In August 1948 Karreman emigrated to Chicago, USA, where he contacted Nicolas Rashevsky
Nicolas Rashevsky
Nicolas Rashevsky was a Ukrainian-American theoretical biologist who pioneered mathematical biology, and is also considered the father of mathematical biophysics and theoretical biology.-Academic career:...
at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. He became one of Rashevsky' s best PhD students in Mathematical Biophysics. In 1950 Karreman underwent experimental heart surgery for an aortic coarctation at the University of Chicago. He married Anneke Halbertsma in 1953, and they moved to Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, where their daughter, Grace, was born in 1954. In succession, his first son, Frank Karreman was born in 1958, and then in 1962 his second son, Hubert-Jan. Later, his three children received advanced degrees from the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
in several fields.
Karreman was an exceptionally devoted educator, who was always supportive of his research associates, family, and friends; he was a generous man, obviously having not forgotten Rashevsky's help in his early life at the University of Chicago. He had a wide range of interests in his readings, a keen interest in the fine arts—such as paintings, was an advanced chess player, and a most devoted husband and father. Between 1987 and 1997, he frequently travelled to the Pacific Northwest where his son and daughter had their homes and children.
Academic career
Karreman earned his B.S. in Physics and Mathematics in 1939. He completed in 1941 his M.S.Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in Theoretical Physics under the supervision of Hendrik Anthony Kramers
Hendrik Anthony Kramers
Hendrik Anthony "Hans" Kramers was a Dutch physicist.-Background and education:...
at Leiden University. For the remainder of 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...
he survived by tutoring students in physics and mathematics. He was awarded a University of Chicago Fellowship that supported him to complete a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in Mathematical Biology in 1951 under the supervision of the founder of Mathematical Biophysics and Mathematical Biology, Nicolas Rashevsky. Karreman was then selected as a consultant to Albert Szent-Györgyi
Albert Szent-Györgyi
Albert Szent-Györgyi de Nagyrápolt was a Hungarian physiologist who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1937. He is credited with discovering vitamin C and the components and reactions of the citric acid cycle...
at the Institute for Muscle Research, Marine Biological Laboratory
Marine Biological Laboratory
The Marine Biological Laboratory is an international center for research and education in biology, biomedicine and ecology. Founded in 1888, the MBL is the oldest independent marine laboratory in the Americas, taking advantage of a coastal setting in the Cape Cod village of Woods Hole, Massachusetts...
, Woods Hole. To follow his interest in mathematics applied to biology, physiology, and medicine he went to Philadelphia in 1957, to take up the position of Senior Medical Research Scientist at the Eastern Research Center. He was appointed associate professor of physiology at the School of Medicine in the University of Pennsylvania, where he also worked at the Bockus Research Institute at the Graduate Hospital. He was promoted to Full Professor of Physiology at the same university in 1972, where he held this position until 1983, when he became the first Professor Emeritus of Mathematical Biology
Mathematical and theoretical biology
Mathematical and theoretical biology is an interdisciplinary scientific research field with a range of applications in biology, medicine and biotechnology...
. His main research interests were many, but all were in related fields that included: mathematical biology and mathematical biophysics
Mathematical and theoretical biology
Mathematical and theoretical biology is an interdisciplinary scientific research field with a range of applications in biology, medicine and biotechnology...
, membrane biophysics, photosynthetic mechanisms, quantum biochemistry and quantum biophysics, biological energy transfer, quantum biology, physiological irritability, mathematical and systems analysis of cardiovascular and other biosystems, cooperativity, threshold phenomena in biomembranes, adsorption mechanisms at membrane surfaces and ion binding to biomembranes.
After Rashevsky's passing away in 1972, Karreman was a co-founder of the Society for Mathematical Biology
Society for Mathematical Biology
The Society for Mathematical Biology is an international association co-founded in 1972 in USA by Drs.George Karreman, Herbert Daniel Landahl and by Anthony Bartholomay for the furtherance of joint scientific activities between Mathematics and Biology research communities,...
(SMB) in 1974—together with H. Landahl and A. Bartholomay, and in 1975 he became its first president. Karreman was also a member of several prestigious scientific societies, including the American Physiological Society
American Physiological Society
The American Physiological Society was founded in 1887 with 28 members. Of them, 21 were graduates of medical schools, but only 12 had studied in schools that had a professor of physiology. Today, the APS has 10,500 members, most of whom hold doctoral degrees in medicine, physiology or other...
, the New York Academy of Sciences
New York Academy of Sciences
The New York Academy of Sciences is the third oldest scientific society in the United States. An independent, non-profit organization with more than members in 140 countries, the Academy’s mission is to advance understanding of science and technology...
, the Franklin Institute
Franklin Institute
The Franklin Institute is a museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the oldest centers of science education and development in the United States, dating to 1824. The Institute also houses the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial.-History:On February 5, 1824, Samuel Vaughn Merrick and...
, the Society for Supramolecular Biology, Sigma Xi
Sigma Xi
Sigma Xi: The Scientific Research Society is a non-profit honor society which was founded in 1886 at Cornell University by a junior faculty member and a handful of graduate students. Members elect others on the basis of their research achievements or potential...
, the Physiological Society of Philadelphia, and the Society for Vascular System Dynamics.
Honours
- 1974 – First President of the The Society for Mathematical BiologySociety for Mathematical BiologyThe Society for Mathematical Biology is an international association co-founded in 1972 in USA by Drs.George Karreman, Herbert Daniel Landahl and by Anthony Bartholomay for the furtherance of joint scientific activities between Mathematics and Biology research communities,...
.
See also
- Society for Mathematical BiologySociety for Mathematical BiologyThe Society for Mathematical Biology is an international association co-founded in 1972 in USA by Drs.George Karreman, Herbert Daniel Landahl and by Anthony Bartholomay for the furtherance of joint scientific activities between Mathematics and Biology research communities,...
- Mathematical and theoretical biologyMathematical and theoretical biologyMathematical and theoretical biology is an interdisciplinary scientific research field with a range of applications in biology, medicine and biotechnology...
- Quantum biologyQuantum biologyQuantum biology refers to applications of quantum mechanics to biological objects and problems. Usually, it is taken to refer to applications of the "non-trivial" quantum features such as superposition, nonlocality, entanglement and tunneling, as opposed to the "trivial" applications such as...
- Nicolas RashevskyNicolas RashevskyNicolas Rashevsky was a Ukrainian-American theoretical biologist who pioneered mathematical biology, and is also considered the father of mathematical biophysics and theoretical biology.-Academic career:...
- Herbert Daniel Landahl
- Hendrik Anthony KramersHendrik Anthony KramersHendrik Anthony "Hans" Kramers was a Dutch physicist.-Background and education:...
Selected publications
- George Karreman, R.H. Steele, and Albert Szent-Gyorgyi. "On resonance transfer of excitation energy between aromatic aminoacids in proteins.", Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (1958) 44: 140-143.
- George Karreman. "Contributions to quantum biology. I. Mobile electronic characteristics of riboflavin radicals.", Bulletin of Mathematical Biology, Volume 23, Number 1/March, (1961) 55-68. Abstract.
- George Karreman. "Studies in quantum biology. II. The mobile electron characteristics of tryptophan+ in relation to those of FMN−, FMNH and FMNH 2+". Bulletin of Mathematical Biology, Volume 23, Number 2/June, (1961) 135-140, DOI: 10.1007/BF02477467; Abstract.
- George Karreman. "Cooperative specific adsorption of ions at charged sites in an electric field." Bulletin of Mathematical Biology, Volume 27, Supplement 1 / January, 1965, 91-104., DOI: 10.1007/BF02477265.
- George Karreman. "Electronic Aspects of Quantum Biology." Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Volume 96, Issue on Mathematical Theories of Biological Phenomena, Pages 1029 - 1055, published on line on 15 Dec 2006, DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1962.tb54118.x
- George Karreman. "Mathematical Biology of Physiological Excitation", Synthese 9, no. 3-5 (1953): 248.
- George Karreman. "Towards a physical understanding of physiological excitation as a cooperative specific adsorption phenomenon.", Bulletin of Mathematical Biology, Volume 35, Numbers 1-2 / February, 1973, 149-171, DOI: 10.1007/BF02558803.
- George Karreman, "Recent mathematical-biological studies of communication.", Synthese 9, no. 3-5 (1953): 255.