Donald Zilversmit
Encyclopedia
Donald Berthold Zilversmit (1919-2010) was a Dutch
-born U.S.
nutritional biochemist, researcher and educator. He spent much of his career at Cornell University
as Professor in the Division of Nutritional Sciences.
Zilversmit was born in Hengelo
, Netherlands
, the son of Herman and Elizabeth (DeWinter) Zilversmit. He began studies at Utrecht University
but escaped before the German invasion in World War II
. He came to the United States in 1939 to finish his studies at the University of California, Berkeley
(B.S., 1940, Ph.D. 1948). He joined a Dutch brigade during the war.
He married Kitty Fonteyn in 1945. She wrote of her time in hiding and their separation during the Nazi occupation
in Yours Always, A Holocaust Love Story. They have three daughters.
He was on the faculty of the University of Tennessee Medical College
from 1948 to 1966. He received a Career Investigator Award from the American Heart Association
in 1959. Zilversmit joined the faculty of Cornell's Graduate School of Nutrition in 1966 and remained until retirement in 1990.
He was awarded an honorary degree from Utrecht University in 1980 and was elected to the National Academy of Sciences
in 1989.
Zilversmit authored or co-authored over 300 publications and made major contributions to the understanding of the relationship between diet
and cardiovascular disease
. He greatly contributed to the understanding of atherogenesis
, including basic mechanisms in lipid
transport and exchange. He also pioneered the development of mathematical analysis for the interpretation of kinetic data. He co-founded the Journal of Lipid Research
.
He died on September 16, 2010 in Canton, Mass.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
-born U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
nutritional biochemist, researcher and educator. He spent much of his career at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
as Professor in the Division of Nutritional Sciences.
Zilversmit was born in Hengelo
Hengelo
Hengelo is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands, in the province of Overijssel. The city lies along the motorways A1/E30 and A35 and it has a station for the International Amsterdam – Hannover – Berlin service.-Traffic and transport:...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, the son of Herman and Elizabeth (DeWinter) Zilversmit. He began studies at Utrecht University
Utrecht University
Utrecht University is a university in Utrecht, Netherlands. It is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands and one of the largest in Europe. Established March 26, 1636, it had an enrollment of 29,082 students in 2008, and employed 8,614 faculty and staff, 570 of which are full professors....
but escaped before the German invasion in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He came to the United States in 1939 to finish his studies at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
(B.S., 1940, Ph.D. 1948). He joined a Dutch brigade during the war.
He married Kitty Fonteyn in 1945. She wrote of her time in hiding and their separation during the Nazi occupation
The Netherlands in World War II
The history of the Netherlands from 1939 to 1945 covers the events in the Netherlands that took place under the German occupation that started on May 10, 1940 with the Battle of the Netherlands. The Netherlands hoped to stay neutral when World War II broke out in 1939 but this failed to happen when...
in Yours Always, A Holocaust Love Story. They have three daughters.
He was on the faculty of the University of Tennessee Medical College
University of Tennessee Health Science Center
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis includes the Colleges of Allied Health Sciences, Dentistry, Graduate Health Sciences, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. Its pediatric residency program is affiliated with Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center and residents in pediatrics,...
from 1948 to 1966. He received a Career Investigator Award from the American Heart Association
American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a non-profit organization in the United States that fosters appropriate cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability and deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas...
in 1959. Zilversmit joined the faculty of Cornell's Graduate School of Nutrition in 1966 and remained until retirement in 1990.
He was awarded an honorary degree from Utrecht University in 1980 and was elected to the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
in 1989.
Zilversmit authored or co-authored over 300 publications and made major contributions to the understanding of the relationship between diet
Diet (nutrition)
In nutrition, diet is the sum of food consumed by a person or other organism. Dietary habits are the habitual decisions an individual or culture makes when choosing what foods to eat. With the word diet, it is often implied the use of specific intake of nutrition for health or weight-management...
and cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease
Heart disease or cardiovascular disease are the class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels . While the term technically refers to any disease that affects the cardiovascular system , it is usually used to refer to those related to atherosclerosis...
. He greatly contributed to the understanding of atherogenesis
Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is a condition in which an artery wall thickens as a result of the accumulation of fatty materials such as cholesterol...
, including basic mechanisms in lipid
Lipid
Lipids constitute a broad group of naturally occurring molecules that include fats, waxes, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins , monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides, phospholipids, and others...
transport and exchange. He also pioneered the development of mathematical analysis for the interpretation of kinetic data. He co-founded the Journal of Lipid Research
Journal of Lipid Research
The Journal of Lipid Research is a monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal that was established in 1959. Since 2000, it is published by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. It covers research in: "...the science of lipids in health and disease. The Journal emphasizes lipid...
.
He died on September 16, 2010 in Canton, Mass.