Otto Loewi Austrian pharmacologist and physiologist, awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1936 (jointly with G.H. Dale) Date of Birth: 03.06.1873 Country: USA

1. Otto Loewi: Pioneer of Neurochemical Transmission
2. Early Life and Education
3. Academic Career in Germany and Austria
4. Research on Cardiovascular Physiology
5. Discovery of Neurochemical Transmission
6. Later Career and Emigration
7. Recognition and Legacy

Otto Loewi: Pioneer of Neurochemical Transmission

Otto Loewi, the Austrian-German pharmacologist and physiologist, made ground-breaking discoveries in neurochemical transmission, earning him the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1936.

Early Life and Education

Loewi was born in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1873. He studied medicine at the universities of Munich and Strasbourg, obtaining his medical degree from the latter in 1896.

Academic Career in Germany and Austria

Loewi began his academic career as an assistant in the Pharmacology Department at the University of Marburg (1897-1900). He then became a private lecturer (1900) and eventually rose to the rank of professor (1909) at the University of Graz in Austria, where he remained until 1938.

Research on Cardiovascular Physiology

Loewi's early research focused on the physiology of the cardiovascular system. He investigated the effects of cyanide, phosphorus, and arsenic on heart function (1896). He also studied urine formation (1902-1905) and the regulation of heart activity (1905-1908).

Discovery of Neurochemical Transmission

In 1920, Loewi shifted his research focus to the chemical nature of nerve impulse transmission. His groundbreaking work, published in 1921, showed that:

Vagal nerve stimulation releases a heart-inhibiting substance (later identified as acetylcholine).

Sympathetic nerve stimulation releases a heart-stimulating substance (also identified as acetylcholine).

Loewi's findings laid the foundation for the theory of chemical transmission of nerve impulses.

Later Career and Emigration

After the Nazi occupation of Austria in 1938, Loewi fled to Belgium. He headed the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Brussels for a year before emigrating to the United States in 1940. He became an American citizen in 1946 and served as a professor of pharmacology at New York University Medical College (1940-1961).

Recognition and Legacy

Loewi was recognized for his contributions with numerous honors, including the Cameron Prize from the University of Edinburgh (1944) and honorary doctorates from several universities. His pioneering work on neurochemical transmission remains a cornerstone of modern neuroscience.