[Scientific contributions of Jules Hirsch regarding the physiopathogenesis of obesity]

Arturo Zárate1, Leticia Manuel

  • 1Unidad de Investigación de Endocrinología, Diabetes y Metabolismo, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Distrito Federal, México. zaratre@att.net.mx.

Jules Hirsch was born in New York City and died at age 88 after a long illness. He was considered notorious leader in the study of human metabolism mainly in the area of lipids and obesity. His research at The Rockefeller University helps establish the mechanism of obesity and lipids metabolism. Hirsch joined Rockefeller´s faculty in 1954 and remained there for the rest of his career. Hirsch´s research helped to support the idea of dynamic interactions among diet, physical activity, general metabolism and obesity. At that time most scientific considered adipose tissue to be biologically inert such as a passive insulator in which the body reserved energy in the form of triglycerides. Hirsch had a natural characteristic of showing a nice smile and greeting for everyone he worked with at the university. Another important contribution was there relationship between diet and cardiovascular ailments as well as metabolism disturbance.

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