Oliver Lowry
Encyclopedia
Oliver Howe Lowry was an American biochemist. He is best remembered for devising the Lowry protein assay
.
Lowry was the youngest of a family of five children. His father was a teacher and later an administrator in the Chicago
public school system. His three brothers and sister all earned graduate degrees in various fields, and Lowry was inspired to emulate his siblings. He attended Northwestern University
in Evanston
, Illinois
, for his undergraduate studies, having intended to major in chemical engineering. However, upon the advice of a fellow student, he ended up shifting his focus towards biochemistry. After graduating from Northwestern in 1932, he enrolled at the University of Chicago
, where he sought to study "physiological chemistry". During his second year, a dean of the University offered Lowry admission to the university's MD/PhD
program, which he accepted and from which he graduated in 1937. Despite the fact that he been granted the title of "Doctor of Medicine", Lowry never practiced medicine.
After graduating from the University of Chicago with his two doctoral degrees, Lowry failed in his attempt to secure a postdoctoral fellowship. He left Chicago to work at Harvard University
under A. Baird Hastings. While at Harvard, Hastings was able to arrange for Lowry to work for five months at the Carlsberg Laboratory
in Copenhagen
, Denmark
, where he worked with Kaj Ulrik Linderstrøm-Lang. By 1942, Otto Bessey persuaded his friend Lowry to join him at the newly established Public Health Research Institute
in New York City
, where Lowry would work until 1947.
In 1947, Washington University in St. Louis
invited Lowry to head its Department of Pharmacology despite the fact that Lowry had never taken a course in pharmacology and his research was only tangentially related to that field. Nevertheless, Lowry served as the department head for the next twenty-nine years. He also served as dean of the Washington University School of Medicine
from 1955 to 1958. He was eventually succeeded as department head by Philip Needleman, but Lowry continued to work at Washington University until his retirement. Lowry was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
in 1957 and to the National Academy of Sciences
in 1964. He died of Alzheimer's disease
, at the age of 85, on June 29, 1996.
Among all his numerous contributions to biochemistry, Lowry is best-known for his development of the Lowry protein assay
, used in the determination of protein concentrations. As of 2010, his 1951 paper in the Journal of Biological Chemistry
describing the protein assay was still the most-highly cited paper of all time, although Lowry later stated it was not the most important paper he had ever written.
Lowry protein assay
The Lowry protein assay is a biochemical assay for determining the total level of protein in a solution. The total protein concentration is exhibited by a color change of the sample solution in proportion to protein concentration, which can then be measured using colorimetric techniques. It is...
.
Lowry was the youngest of a family of five children. His father was a teacher and later an administrator in the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
public school system. His three brothers and sister all earned graduate degrees in various fields, and Lowry was inspired to emulate his siblings. He attended Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
in Evanston
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, for his undergraduate studies, having intended to major in chemical engineering. However, upon the advice of a fellow student, he ended up shifting his focus towards biochemistry. After graduating from Northwestern in 1932, he enrolled at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, where he sought to study "physiological chemistry". During his second year, a dean of the University offered Lowry admission to the university's MD/PhD
MD/PhD
MD/PhD refers to an education which includes both the medical training of a physician with the rigor of a scientific researcher . It can refer to the designation given to a person who has graduated from such an education, or an educational program which incorporates both curricula.-Profession:An...
program, which he accepted and from which he graduated in 1937. Despite the fact that he been granted the title of "Doctor of Medicine", Lowry never practiced medicine.
After graduating from the University of Chicago with his two doctoral degrees, Lowry failed in his attempt to secure a postdoctoral fellowship. He left Chicago to work at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
under A. Baird Hastings. While at Harvard, Hastings was able to arrange for Lowry to work for five months at the Carlsberg Laboratory
Carlsberg Laboratory
The Carlsberg Laboratory in Copenhagen, Denmark was created in 1875 by J. C. Jacobsen, the founder of the Carlsberg brewery, for the sake of advancing biochemical knowledge, especially relating to brewing. It featured a Department of Chemistry and a Department of Physiology...
in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, where he worked with Kaj Ulrik Linderstrøm-Lang. By 1942, Otto Bessey persuaded his friend Lowry to join him at the newly established Public Health Research Institute
Public Health Research Institute
The Public Health Research Institute was established in 1942 as an independent not-for-profit research organization affiliated with the New York City Department of Health. Dr. Ralph Muckenfuss, director of the Bureau of Laboratories of the Department of Health, was designated as the first director...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where Lowry would work until 1947.
In 1947, Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
invited Lowry to head its Department of Pharmacology despite the fact that Lowry had never taken a course in pharmacology and his research was only tangentially related to that field. Nevertheless, Lowry served as the department head for the next twenty-nine years. He also served as dean of the Washington University School of Medicine
Washington University School of Medicine
Washington University School of Medicine , located in St. Louis, Missouri, is one of the graduate schools of Washington University in St. Louis. One of the top medical schools in the United States, it is currently ranked 4th for research according to U.S. News and World Report and has been listed...
from 1955 to 1958. He was eventually succeeded as department head by Philip Needleman, but Lowry continued to work at Washington University until his retirement. Lowry was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
in 1957 and 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 1964. He died of Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
, at the age of 85, on June 29, 1996.
Among all his numerous contributions to biochemistry, Lowry is best-known for his development of the Lowry protein assay
Lowry protein assay
The Lowry protein assay is a biochemical assay for determining the total level of protein in a solution. The total protein concentration is exhibited by a color change of the sample solution in proportion to protein concentration, which can then be measured using colorimetric techniques. It is...
, used in the determination of protein concentrations. As of 2010, his 1951 paper in the Journal of Biological Chemistry
Journal of Biological Chemistry
The Journal of Biological Chemistry is a weekly peer-reviewed scientific journal that was established in 1905. Since 1925 it is published by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. It covers research in any area of biochemistry or molecular biology. The editor-in-chief is...
describing the protein assay was still the most-highly cited paper of all time, although Lowry later stated it was not the most important paper he had ever written.
Further reading
- Lowry's highly cited 1951 paper: