Rudolph Schoenheimer

Rudolph Schoenheimer (May 10, 1898 – September 11, 1941) was a German/ U.S. biochemist who developed the technique of isotope tagging of biomolecules, enabling detailed study of metabolism.

Born in Berlin, after graduating in medicine from the Friedrich Wilhelm University there, he learned further organic chemistry at the University of Leipzig and then studied biochemistry at the University of Freiburg.^[1]

In 1933, he moved to Columbia University to join the department of Biological Chemistry and worked with David Rittenberg, from the radiochemistry laboratory of Harold C. Urey, later together with Konrad Bloch, using stable isotopes to tag foodstuffs and trace their metabolism within living things.^[1]

He further established that cholesterol is a risk factor in atherosclerosis.^[1]

His death was due to suicide by cyanide.^[1]

References

• Kennedy, E P (2001), "Hitler's gift and the era of biosynthesis", J. Biol. Chem. 276 (46): 42619–31, 2001 Nov 16, doi:10.1074/jbc.R100051200, PMID 11559714 
• Young, V R; Ajami, A (1999), "The Rudolf Schoenheimer Centenary Lecture. Isotopes in nutrition research", The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 58 (1): 15–32, 1999 Feb, PMID 10343336 
• Olson, R E (1997), "The dynamic state of body constituents (Schoenheimer, 1939)", J. Nutr. 127 (5 Suppl): 1041S–1043S, 1997 May, PMID 9164302 
• Guggenheim, K Y (1991), "Rudolf Schoenheimer and the concept of the dynamic state of body constituents.", J. Nutr. 121 (11): 1701–4, 1991 Nov, PMID 1941176 
• Ratner, S; Rittenberg, D; Keston, A S; Schoenheimer, R (1987), "The Journal of Biological Chemistry, Volume 134, June 1940: Studies in protein metabolism. XIV. The chemical interaction of dietary glycine and body proteins in rats. By S. Ratner, D. Rittenberg, Albert S. Keston, and Rudolf Schoenheimer", Nutr. Rev. 45 (10): 310–2, 1987 Oct, PMID 3320825 
• Shemin, D (1987), "On the impact on biochemical research of the discovery of stable isotopes: the outcome of the serendipic meeting of a refugee with the discoverer of heavy isotopes at Columbia University", Anal. Biochem. 161 (2): 365–9, 1987 Mar, doi:10.1016/0003-2697(87)90464-7, PMID 3555154 
• Sinohara, H (1986), "[Rudolf Schoenheimer: a biographical essay]", Seikagaku 58 (12): 1449–70, 1986 Dec, PMID 3553368 
• Goldstein, J L (1986), "On the origin and prevention of PAIDS (Paralyzed Academic Investigator's Disease Syndrome)", J. Clin. Invest. 78 (3): 848–54, 1986 Sep, doi:10.1172/JCI112652, PMC 423687, PMID 3528221, http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=423687 
• Stetten, D (1982), "Rudi", Perspect. Biol. Med. 25 (3): 354–68, PMID 6763679 

Bibliography

• [Anon.] (2001) "Schoenheimer, Rudolf", Encyclopaedia Britannica, Deluxe CDROM edition