Jörgen Lehmann
Encyclopedia
Jörgen Erik Lehmann was a Danish
-born Swedish
physician
and chemist
best-known for his discovery in the 1940s that para-amino salicylic acid (PAS) would make an excellent orally-available tuberculosis
therapy. PAS was, together with streptomycin
, the first efficacious anti-microbial therapy for tuberculosis and remained in clinical use for several decades. In 1941, Lehmann also developed the anti-coagulant dicumarol
, which is used for the prevention of blood clots and in the treatment of deep venous thrombosis.
Lehmann studied under Torsten Thunberg, professor
of physiology
in Lund
, who discovered the dehydrogenase
s. Lehmann was appointed professor of physiology in Aarhus
in 1937, and became head of the central laboratory at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg 1938. After retiring in 1963, Lehmann continued his research at the Nobel Laureate Arvid Carlsson
's institution at the University of Gothenburg.
Jörgen Lehmann was son of Edvard Lehmann, professor of History of Religions at Lund University
and grandnephew of the Danish politician Orla Lehmann
.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
-born Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and chemist
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 his discovery in the 1940s that para-amino salicylic acid (PAS) would make an excellent orally-available tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
therapy. PAS was, together with streptomycin
Streptomycin
Streptomycin is an antibiotic drug, the first of a class of drugs called aminoglycosides to be discovered, and was the first antibiotic remedy for tuberculosis. It is derived from the actinobacterium Streptomyces griseus. Streptomycin is a bactericidal antibiotic. Streptomycin cannot be given...
, the first efficacious anti-microbial therapy for tuberculosis and remained in clinical use for several decades. In 1941, Lehmann also developed the anti-coagulant dicumarol
Dicumarol
Dicoumarol or dicumarol is an anticoagulant that functions as a vitamin K antagonist . It is also used in biochemical experiments as an inhibitor of reductases....
, which is used for the prevention of blood clots and in the treatment of deep venous thrombosis.
Lehmann studied under Torsten Thunberg, professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of physiology
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
in Lund
Lund
-Main sights:During the 12th and 13th centuries, when the town was the seat of the archbishop, many churches and monasteries were built. At its peak, Lund had 27 churches, but most of them were demolished as result of the Reformation in 1536. Several medieval buildings remain, including Lund...
, who discovered the dehydrogenase
Dehydrogenase
A dehydrogenase is an enzyme that oxidises a substrate by a reduction reaction that transfers one or more hydrides to an electron acceptor, usually NAD+/NADP+ or a flavin coenzyme such as FAD or FMN.-Examples:...
s. Lehmann was appointed professor of physiology in Aarhus
Aarhus
Aarhus or Århus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical center of Denmark...
in 1937, and became head of the central laboratory at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg 1938. After retiring in 1963, Lehmann continued his research at the Nobel Laureate Arvid Carlsson
Arvid Carlsson
Arvid Carlsson is a Swedish scientist who is best known for his work with the neurotransmitter dopamine and its effects in Parkinson's disease...
's institution at the University of Gothenburg.
Jörgen Lehmann was son of Edvard Lehmann, professor of History of Religions at Lund University
Lund University
Lund University , located in the city of Lund in the province of Scania, Sweden, is one of northern Europe's most prestigious universities and one of Scandinavia's largest institutions for education and research, frequently ranked among the world's top 100 universities...
and grandnephew of the Danish politician Orla Lehmann
Orla Lehmann
Peter Martin Orla Lehmann was a Danish statesman, a key figure in the development of Denmark's parliamentary government....
.