Claude bernard biography breve

1. Biography of Claude Bernard
2. Early Education and Career
3. Major Discoveries
4. Teaching and Achievements
5. Legacy

Biography of Claude Bernard

Claude Bernard was a French physiologist who made significant contributions to the field of physiology. He was born on July 12, 1813, in Saint-Julien, France.

Early Education and Career

In 1834, Bernard entered the Paris Medical School and completed his studies as an external student in 1836. He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of the College de France in 1839. In 1841, he became an assistant in the laboratory of François Magendie.

Major Discoveries

One of Bernard's first notable works focused on the anatomy and physiology of the salivary gland in 1843. This laid the foundation for his research on the physiology of digestion. In 1849, he made a significant discovery by identifying that the pancreas secretes enzymes that break down fats, in addition to proteins and carbohydrates. Some of his observations on dogs with removed pancreas eventually led to the discovery of insulin 72 years later.

In 1848, Bernard discovered glycogen and established the role of the liver in carbohydrate metabolism. His article "On the New Function of the Liver" in 1850 revealed the liver's glycogen-forming function and its role in maintaining the necessary blood sugar levels. Bernard introduced the concept of "internal secretion," which later became the subject of a separate scientific discipline known as endocrinology. He developed the first theory explaining the nature of diabetes.

In 1858, Bernard detailed his next major discovery, revealing that blood vessel dilation is regulated by the sympathetic nervous system. This meant that blood flow in one part of the body could be controlled by processes occurring in completely different parts. His findings on the regulation of blood flow and blood sugar level led Bernard to propose the concept of homeostasis – the maintenance of the body's internal environment in a state of dynamic equilibrium necessary for normal cell functioning.

Teaching and Achievements

Bernard became Magendie's deputy in 1847 and, after Magendie's death in 1855, he assumed the position of head of the Department of Experimental Medicine. In 1854, he established the Chair of General Physiology at the University of Paris. In 1868, a comparative physiology chair was created for Bernard at the Museum of Natural History.

Bernard's laboratory attracted numerous students and researchers from around the world, including England (F. Pawlow), Germany (W. Kühne), and America (S. Mitchell). Ivan Sechenov also worked in his laboratory. Bernard was elected a member of many European scientific societies. In 1849, he founded the Biological Society and became its president in 1867. He was awarded the Order of the Legion of Honor in 1868.

Legacy

Bernard authored numerous fundamental works in physiology. His book "Introduction to the Study of Experimental Medicine" (1865) presented his ideas on the role of methods and hypotheses in science, comparable to Descartes' "Discourse on the Method" in terms of its impact on contemporary thinking. Claude Bernard passed away on February 10, 1878, in Paris, leaving behind a lasting legacy in the field of physiology.