Albert Hofmann Swiss chemist Date of Birth: 11.01.1906 Country: Switzerland

Biography of Albert Hofmann

Albert Hofmann was a Swiss chemist who is best known for being the first to synthesize lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and for his research on its effects. He was born on January 11, 1906, in Baden, Switzerland, as the eldest of four children. Hofmann's father, Adolf Hofmann, worked as a toolmaker and earned too little to afford his son's education. Therefore, Albert was supported by his godfather. Despite his father falling ill, Hofmann managed to secure a position as an apprentice salesman while continuing his studies.

In his early twenties, Hofmann began studying chemistry at the University of Zurich, which he completed in 1929. His main interest was plant and animal chemistry, and in 1930, at the age of 24, he obtained his doctorate based on his research on the chemical structure of chitin, a substance common to all animal organisms.

Hofmann joined the chemical-pharmaceutical department of Sandoz Laboratories (now Novartis) in Basel as an assistant to Professor Arthur Stoll, the founder and head of the pharmaceutical department. He initially focused on studying the medicinal plant squill and the ergot fungus, a parasite on certain grains, for pharmaceutical use. It was during his research on derivatives of lysergic acid that Hofmann first synthesized LSD on November 16, 1938. However, his main goal at the time was to develop respiratory and circulatory stimulants, so he forgot about his discovery for almost five years.

In April 1943, while re-synthesizing LSD, a small amount of the substance accidentally entered Hofmann's body through his fingertips. He experienced the effects of the drug, describing it as a pleasant intoxication that greatly stimulated his imagination. During the next two hours, he had vivid and colorful hallucinations, followed by a return to normal. Three days later, on April 19, Hofmann intentionally took 250 micrograms of LSD and later described his experiences in the book "LSD: My Problem Child".

After becoming the director of the natural products department at Sandoz Laboratories, Hofmann focused on studying hallucinogenic substances found in Mexican mushrooms and other plants. This led to the synthesis of psilocybin. He also discovered the similarity between the active compounds in the seeds of the Mexican morning glory species Rivea corymbosa and LSD. In 1962, Hofmann and his wife embarked on a trip to Mexico to study the plant Salvia divinorum, which is known to produce hallucinogenic effects. However, they were unable to identify the active compounds.

In 1963, Hofmann participated in the annual assembly of the World Academy of Arts and Sciences (WAAS) in Stockholm. As the discoverer of LSD, he called it the "medicine for the soul" and was disappointed by its prohibition. He believed that LSD had been successfully used in psychoanalysis for ten years but acknowledged its potential danger in unskilled or criminal hands. He also regretted that the youth of the 1960s used LSD for recreational purposes or what they called "expanding their horizons".

In December 2007, Swiss authorities granted permission to psychotherapists to conduct therapeutic experiments with LSD on patients suffering from terminal cancer and other life-threatening diseases. These experiments, which have yet to begin, will be the first scientific study on the therapeutic effects of LSD on humans in 35 years. Previously, only the psychedelic effects of LSD had been studied.

Albert Hofmann was scheduled to speak at the World Psychedelic Forum in March 2008 but had to cancel due to illness. He passed away of natural causes on April 29, 2008, in Burg, Limenthal, near Basel, at the age of 102.