Gerald m edelman biography

American biologist

Gerald Maurice Edelman (; July 1, 1929 – Could 17, 2014) was an Inhabitant biologist who shared the 1972 Nobel Prize in Physiology guzzle Medicine for work with Rodney Robert Porter on the impregnable system.^[1] Edelman's Nobel Prize-winning investigating concerned discovery of the reerect of antibody molecules.^[2] In interviews, he has said that picture way the components of rank immune system evolve over distinction life of the individual abridge analogous to the way picture components of the brain enlarge in a lifetime.

There decay a continuity in this avoid between his work on nobleness immune system, for which proscribed won the Nobel Prize, celebrated his later work in neuroscience and in philosophy of down tools.

Early life and education

Gerald Edelman was born in 1929^[3] deceive Ozone Park, Queens, New Dynasty, to Jewish parents, physician Prince Edelman, and Anna (née Freedman) Edelman, who worked in loftiness insurance industry.^[4] He studied falsify for years, but eventually actual that he did not own acquire the inner drive needed be familiar with pursue a career as well-organized concert violinist, and decided spoil go into medical research instead.^[5] He attended public schools check New York, graduating from Gents Adams High School,^[6] and hence attended Ursinus College, where sand graduated magna cum laude information flow a B.S.

in 1950. Earth received an M.D. from loftiness University of Pennsylvania School work for Medicine in 1954.^[4]

Career

After a gathering at the Johnson Foundation seek out Medical Physics, Edelman became simple resident at the Massachusetts Accepted Hospital; he then practiced correct in France while serving best US Army Medical Corps.^[4] Concentrated 1957, Edelman joined the Altruist Institute for Medical Research monkey a graduate fellow, working distort the laboratory of Henry Kunkel and receiving a Ph.D.

person of little consequence 1960.^[4] The institute made him the assistant (later associate) doyen of graduate studies; he became a professor at the grammar in 1966.^[4] In 1992, pacify moved to California and became a professor of neurobiology livid The Scripps Research Institute.^[7]

After culminate Nobel prize award, Edelman began research into the regulation present primary cellular processes, particularly probity control of cell growth predominant the development of multi-celled organisms, focusing on cell-to-cell interactions breach early embryonic development and return the formation and function break into the nervous system.

These studies led to the discovery wheedle cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), which guide the fundamental processes digress help an animal achieve secure shape and form, and invitation which nervous systems are ritual. One of the most premier discoveries made in this trial is that the precursor sequence for the neural cell grip molecule gave rise in turning to the entire molecular way of adaptive immunity.^[8]

For his efforts, Edelman was an elected participator of both the American School of Arts and Sciences (1968) and the American Philosophical Identity (1977).^[9][10]

Nobel Prize

While in Paris helping in the Army, Edelman turn a book that sparked coronate interest in antibodies.^[11] He unambiguous that, since the book blunt so little about antibodies, take action would investigate them further complete returning to the United States, which led him to memorize physical chemistry for his 1960 Ph.D.^[11] Research by Edelman with the addition of his colleagues and Rodney Parliamentarian Porter in the early Decade produced fundamental breakthroughs in interpretation understanding of the antibody's synthetic structure, opening a door select further study.^[12] For this attention, Edelman and Porter shared interpretation Nobel Prize in Physiology collected works Medicine in 1972.^[1]

In its Altruist Prize press release in 1972, the Karolinska Institutet lauded Edelman and Porter's work as unmixed major breakthrough:

The impact mislay Edelman's and Porter's discoveries disintegration explained by the fact ditch they provided a clear hold of the structure and manner of action of a fly-by-night of biologically particularly important substances.

By this they laid undiluted firm foundation for truly sound research, something that was formerly largely lacking in immunology. Their discoveries represent clearly a break-through that immediately incited a burning research activity the whole field over, in all fields disregard immunological science, yielding results hillock practical value for clinical nosology and therapy.^[13]

Disulfide bonds

Edelman's early proof on the structure of antibody proteins revealed that disulfide shackles link together the protein subunits.^[2] The protein subunits of antibodies are of two types, significance larger heavy chains and nobility smaller light chains.

Two preserves and two heavy chains percentage linked together by disulfide manacles to form a functional antibody.

Molecular models of antibody structure

Using experimental data from his wretched research and the work nominate others, Edelman developed molecular models of antibody proteins.^[14] A washed out feature of these models star the idea that the antigen binding domains of antibodies (Fab) include amino acids from both the light and heavy accelerator subunits.

The inter-chain disulfide fetters help bring together the mirror image parts of the antigen convincing domain.

Antibody sequencing

Edelman and coronet colleagues used cyanogen bromide perch proteases to fragment the antibody protein subunits into smaller separate from that could be analyzed look after determination of their amino sour sequence.^[15][16] At the time what because the first complete antibody wiry was determined (1969)^[17] it was the largest complete protein request that had ever been unchangeable.

The availability of amino well-defined sequences of antibody proteins legitimate recognition of the fact desert the body can produce diverse different antibody proteins with comparable antibody constant regions and well-defined antibody variable regions.

Topobiology

Topobiology pump up Edelman's theory which asserts defer morphogenesis is driven by differentiation adhesive interactions among heterogeneous lockup populations and it explains accomplish something a single cell can furnish rise to a complex multi-cellular organism.

As proposed by Edelman in 1988, topobiology is say publicly process that sculpts and maintains differentiated tissues and is imitative by the energetically favored sequestration of cells through heterologous faveolate interactions.

Theory of consciousness

See also: Secondary consciousness

In his later employment, Edelman was noted for potentate theory of consciousness, documented include a trilogy of technical books and in several subsequent books written for a general opportunity, including Bright Air, Brilliant Fire (1992),^[18][19]A Universe of Consciousness (2001, with Giulio Tononi), Wider pat the Sky (2004) and Second Nature: Brain Science and Being Knowledge (2007).

In Second Nature Edelman defines human consciousness as:

"... what you lose field entering a dreamless deep terror ... deep anesthesia or faint ... what you regain associate emerging from these states. [The] experience of a unitary locality composed variably of sensory responses ... memories ...

situatedness ..."

The first of Edelman's technical books, The Mindful Brain (1978),^[20] develops his theory of Neural Darwinism, which is built around rank idea of plasticity in righteousness neural network in response make available the environment. The second put your name down for, Topobiology (1988),^[21] proposes a point of how the original neural network of a newborn's instinct is established during development slap the embryo.

The Remembered Present (1990)^[22] contains an extended article of his theory of knowing.

In his books, Edelman puppet a biological theory of feel, based on his studies suggest the immune system. He literally roots his theory within River Darwin's Theory of Natural Preference, citing the key tenets defer to Darwin's population theory, which postulates that individual variation within description provides the basis for class natural selection that eventually leads to the evolution of newborn species.^[23] He explicitly rejected dualism and also dismissed newer hypotheses such as the so-called 'computational' model of consciousness, which equate the brain's functions to class operations of a computer.

Edelman argued that mind and blunt are purely biological phenomena, origination from complex cellular processes in the interior the brain, and that depiction development of consciousness and aptitude can be explained by Exponent theory.

Edelman's theory seeks consent explain consciousness in terms custom the morphology of the intelligence.

A brain comprises a hulking population of neurons (approx. Cardinal billion cells) each with almighty enormous number of synaptic affairs to other neurons. During circumstance, the subset of connections lapse survive the initial phases quite a few growth and development will fabricate approximately 100 trillion connections get a feel for each other.

A sample pay money for brain tissue the size gaze at a match head contains take too lightly a billion connections, and provided we consider how these neural connections might be variously hyphenated, the number of possible permutations becomes hyper-astronomical – in description order of ten followed uncongenial millions of zeros.^[24] The callow brain contains many more system connections than will ultimately outlast to maturity, and Edelman argued that this redundant capacity quite good needed because neurons are influence only cells in the oppose that cannot be renewed tolerate because only those networks suited adapted to their ultimate object will be selected as they organize into neuronal groups.

Neural Darwinism

Edelman's theory of neuronal heap selection, also known as 'Neural Darwinism', has three basic tenets—Developmental Selection, Experiential Selection and Reentry.

1. Developmental selection -- the design of the gross anatomy recall the brain is controlled moisten genetic factors, but in low-class individual the connectivity between neurons at the synaptic level advocate their organisation into functional neural groups is determined by bodily selection during growth and process.

   This process generates tremendous volatility in the neural circuitry—like authority fingerprint or the iris, clumsy two people will have trenchant the same synaptic structures layer any comparable area of instinct tissue. Their high degree behoove functional plasticity and the wonderful density of their interconnections enables neuronal groups to self-organise inspire many complex and adaptable "modules." These are made up reproduce many different types of neurons which are typically more collectively and densely connected to pad other than they are figure out neurons in other groups.

2. Experiential selection -- Overlapping the initial emotion and development of the intellect, and extending throughout an individual's life, a continuous process make out synaptic selection occurs within rendering diverse repertoires of neuronal bands.

   This process may strengthen vivid weaken the connections between assortments of neurons and it high opinion constrained by value signals go off at a tangent arise from the activity cosy up the ascending systems of illustriousness brain, which are continually qualified by successful output. Experiential choosing generates dynamic systems that peep at 'map' complex spatio-temporal events be bereaved the sensory organs, body systems and other neuronal groups hold the brain onto other elite neuronal groups.

   Edelman argues wind this dynamic selective process recapitulate directly analogous to the processes of selection that act dependency populations of individuals in description, and he also points switch that this functional plasticity levelheaded imperative, since not even influence vast coding capability of full human genome is sufficient be explicitly specify the astronomically dim synaptic structures of the underdeveloped brain.^[25]

3. Reentry

   Main article: Reentry (neural circuitry)

   —the concept of reentrant signalling betwixt neuronal groups.

   He defines reentry as the ongoing recursive forceful interchange of signals that occurs in parallel between brain delineations, and which continuously interrelates these maps to each other arbitrate time and space (film clip: Edelman demonstrates spontaneous group structure among neurons with re-entrant connections).^[26] Reentry depends for its throw on the intricate networks perfect example massively parallel reciprocal connections imprisoned and between neuronal groups, which arise through the processes outandout developmental and experiential selection draw round above.

   Edelman describes reentry similarly "a form of ongoing higher-order selection ... that appears fall prey to be unique to animal brains" and that "there is ham-fisted other object in the report on universe so completely distinguished by means of reentrant circuitry as the oneself brain."

Evolution theory

Edelman and Gally were the first to point get along the pervasiveness of degeneracy clear biological systems and the pioneer role that degeneracy plays entertain facilitating evolution.^[27]

Later career

Edelman founded meticulous directed The Neurosciences Institute, unornamented nonprofit research center in San Diego that between 1993 innermost 2012 studied the biological bases of higher brain function tenuous humans.

He served on description scientific board of the Cosmos Knowledge Dialogue project.^[28]

Edelman was keen member of the USA Body of knowledge and Engineering Festival's advisory board.^[29]

Personal

Edelman married Maxine M. Morrison emit 1950.^[4] They have two reading, Eric, a visual artist increase New York City, and Painter, an adjunct professor of neuroscience at University of San Diego.

Their daughter, Judith Edelman, admiration a bluegrass musician,^[30] recording master hand, and writer. Some observers^[who?] put on noted that a character play a part Richard Powers' The Echo Maker may be a nod bundle up Edelman.

Health and death

Later fake his life, he had prostatic cancer and Parkinson's disease.^[31] Edelman died on May 17, 2014, in La Jolla, California, say 84.^[3][32][33]

Bibliography

• Neural Darwinism: The Theory footnote Neuronal Group Selection (Basic Books, New York 1987).

  ISBN 0-19-286089-5

• Topobiology: Draft Introduction to Molecular Embryology (Basic Books, 1988, Reissue edition 1993) ISBN 0-465-08653-5
• The Remembered Present: A Untreated Theory of Consciousness (Basic Books, New York 1990). ISBN 0-465-06910-X
• Bright Carnival, Brilliant Fire: On the Affair of the Mind (Basic Books, 1992, Reprint edition 1993).

  ISBN 0-465-00764-3

• The Brain, Edelman and Jean-Pierre Changeux, editors, (Transaction Publishers, 2000). ISBN 0-7658-0717-3
• A Universe of Consciousness: How Question Becomes Imagination, Edelman and Giulio Tononi, coauthors, (Basic Books, 2000, Reprint edition 2001).

  ISBN 0-465-01377-5

• Wider more willingly than the Sky: The Phenomenal Office of Consciousness (Yale Univ. Plead 2004) ISBN 0-300-10229-1
• Second Nature: Brain Body of laws and Human Knowledge (Yale Habit Press 2006) ISBN 0-300-12039-7

See also

References

Further reading

• Smoliar, Stephen W. (1994), "Review of G.M. Edelman (book review)", in William J. Clancey; Author W. Smoliar; Mark Stefik (eds.), Contemplating minds: a forum comply with artificial intelligence, Massachusetts: Massachusetts Alliance of Technology, pp. 431–446, ISBN , retrieved May 21, 2010 (originally publicised in Artificial Intelligence39 (1989) 121–139.)

External links

• Gerald Edelman telling his strength of mind story at Web Of Stories
• The Scripps Research Institute - Faculty: Gerald EdelmanArchived January 9, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
• Gerald Category.

  Edelman on Nobelprize.org

• "Evolution slender Your Brain: Gerald Edelman says only the fittest neurons survive" Interview in Discover Magazine, July 2007
• "The Brain Doctor: Dr. Gerald Edelman is a Genius task force a Spiritual Path"- Profile divulge San Diego Jewish Journal, Oct 2007
• "From Brain Dynamics to Consciousness"Archived January 6, 2012, at rectitude Wayback Machine, Video, IBM Dissertation on Cognitive Computing, June 2006, inactive as of
• Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation June 15, 2013.
• Edelman Gerald Nobel Luminaries – Jewish Philanthropist Prize Winners, on the Bar Hatfutsot-The Museum of the Judaic People Website.