| Oskar Minkowski | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 13, 1858 Kaunas, Lithuania |
| Died | July 18, 1931 Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Germany |
| Institutions | University of Breslau |
| Known for | pancreas and diabetes |
| Influences | Josef von Mering |
Oskar Minkowski (January 13, 1858, Kaunas, Russian Empire now Lithuania - July 18, 1931, Sanatorium Fürstenburg an der Havel, Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Germany)
He held a professor at at the University of Breslau and is most famous for his research on diabetes. He is the brother of the mathematician Hermann Minkowski and father of astrophysicist Rudolph Minkowski.
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Minkowski worked with Josef von Mering on the study of diabetes at the University of Strasbourg. Their landmark study in 1889 in dogs induced diabetes by removing their pancreas. It was Minkowski who performed the operation and made the crucial link to recognize that the symptoms of the treated dogs were due to diabetes. Thus they were able to indicate that the pancreas contained regulators to control blood sugar; they also provided model for the study of diabetes. Their work led other doctors and scientists to pursue further research on the relation of the pancreas to diabetes, and ultimately resulted in the discovery of insulin as a treatment for the disease.
In recognition of the discovery by Minkowski the European Association for the Study of Diabetes annually awards the Minkowski Prize for outstanding original work of a younger investigator in diabetes research.[1]