Hans Ernst August Buchner
Encyclopedia
Hans Ernst August Buchner (December 16, 1850 – April 5, 1902) was a German bacteriologist who was born and raised in Munich
. He studied medicine in Munich and Leipzig
, earning his MD from the University of Leipzig
in 1874. and afterwards served as a physician in the Bavarian Army. In 1880 be became a lecturer at the University of Munich, where he worked under Max von Pettenkofer (1818–1901) and was an associate to Max von Gruber
(1853–1927). In Munich he was also director of the institute of hygiene
. He was the older brother of Eduard Buchner
(1860–1917), winner of the 1907 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
.
Hans Buchner was a pioneer in the field of immunology
, and known for his extensive research involving anaerobic bacteria
. He was the first to discover a substance in blood serum
that was capable of destroying bacteria
. He called the substance alexin, which was later named "complement
" by Paul Ehrlich
(1854–1915). With his brother Eduard, he was co-discoverer of the yeast
enzyme
zymase
.
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
. He studied medicine in Munich and Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, earning his MD from the University of Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
in 1874. and afterwards served as a physician in the Bavarian Army. In 1880 be became a lecturer at the University of Munich, where he worked under Max von Pettenkofer (1818–1901) and was an associate to Max von Gruber
Max von Gruber
Max von Gruber was an Austrian scientist.As a bacteriologist he discovered specific agglutination in 1896 with his colleague Herbert Edward Durham...
(1853–1927). In Munich he was also director of the institute of hygiene
Hygiene
Hygiene refers to the set of practices perceived by a community to be associated with the preservation of health and healthy living. While in modern medical sciences there is a set of standards of hygiene recommended for different situations, what is considered hygienic or not can vary between...
. He was the older brother of Eduard Buchner
Eduard Buchner
Eduard Buchner was a German chemist and zymologist, awarded with the 1907 Nobel Prize in Chemistry thanks to his work on fermentation.-Early years:...
(1860–1917), winner of the 1907 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Nobel Prize in Chemistry
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences to scientists in the various fields of chemistry. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895, awarded for outstanding contributions in chemistry, physics, literature,...
.
Hans Buchner was a pioneer in the field of immunology
Immunology
Immunology is a broad branch of biomedical science that covers the study of all aspects of the immune system in all organisms. It deals with the physiological functioning of the immune system in states of both health and diseases; malfunctions of the immune system in immunological disorders ; the...
, and known for his extensive research involving anaerobic bacteria
Anaerobic organism
An anaerobic organism or anaerobe is any organism that does not require oxygen for growth. It could possibly react negatively and may even die if oxygen is present...
. He was the first to discover a substance in blood serum
Blood serum
In blood, the serum is the component that is neither a blood cell nor a clotting factor; it is the blood plasma with the fibrinogens removed...
that was capable of destroying bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
. He called the substance alexin, which was later named "complement
Complement system
The complement system helps or “complements” the ability of antibodies and phagocytic cells to clear pathogens from an organism. It is part of the immune system called the innate immune system that is not adaptable and does not change over the course of an individual's lifetime...
" by Paul Ehrlich
Paul Ehrlich
Paul Ehrlich was a German scientist in the fields of hematology, immunology, and chemotherapy, and Nobel laureate. He is noted for curing syphilis and for his research in autoimmunity, calling it "horror autotoxicus"...
(1854–1915). With his brother Eduard, he was co-discoverer of the yeast
Yeast
Yeasts are eukaryotic micro-organisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with 1,500 species currently described estimated to be only 1% of all fungal species. Most reproduce asexually by mitosis, and many do so by an asymmetric division process called budding...
enzyme
Enzyme
Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process, called substrates, are converted into different molecules, called products. Almost all chemical reactions in a biological cell need enzymes in order to occur at rates...
zymase
Zymase
Zymase is an enzyme complex that catalyzes the fermentation of sugar into ethanol and carbon dioxide. They occur naturally in yeasts...
.
Selected writings
- Die ätiologische Therapie und Prophylaxe der Lungentuberculose. (Aetiological Therapy and Prophylaxis concerning Lung Tuberculosis); ( 1883)
- Über die bakterientödtende Wirkung des zellenfreien Blutserums (Concerning the Bacteriological Effects of Cell-free Blood Serum); (1889)