Immediately after earning his Ph.D., in 1943, Harman joined the reaction kinetics department of Shell Oil in Emeryville, California. He worked for six years as a Shell research chemist, in part studying free radical reactions in petroleum products. During that period he was granted 35 patents, one for a compound used in plastic strips to kill flies ("Shell No Pest Strip").
Harman was married to the same woman for most of his life, a journalism student whom he met at a fraternity dance while at the University of California. The couple had four children and four grandchildren. Harman maintained a healthy lifestyle throughout his life. He never smoked and drank alcohol in moderation. He ran two miles a day until he was 82. He quit because of a back injury, but he continued to take regular walks to help him maintain a weight of 140 pounds on his 5-foot-10 frame.
Harman died in Omaha, Nebraska, on November 25, 2014, from a short illness, aged 98.[5]
Development of the Free Radical Theory of Agingedit
In 1954, between his internship and residency in internal medicine, Harman became a research associate at the Donner Laboratory of Medical Physics at UC Berkeley,[2] where he was able to pursue the puzzle of the cause of aging. After four months of frustration he hit upon the idea of free radicals as cause of the damage to macromolecules known as "aging". Although initially other scientists were reluctant to accept his theory, he was finally able to get it published in what is now a much-cited article in the Journal of Gerontology.[6]
Mitochondrial Theory of Agingedit
After years of frustration over his inability to increase maximum lifespan with antioxidant supplements, Harman came to the conclusion that mitochondria were producing as well as being damaged by free radicals, but that exogenous antioxidants don't enter the mitochondria. And that it is mitochondria that determine lifespan. He published his ideas on what he called the "mitochondrial theory of aging" in the April 1972 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.[2][7]
Organizational accomplishmentsedit
In 1969 Harman became concerned that few of those involved in gerontology were studying the biological aspects of aging, and fewer still had a serious interest in discovering the cause of aging. In 1970 he became a founder of the American Aging Association (AGE) to create a society of scientists focused on aging research and advocacy of aging research. In 1985 he became a founder of the International Association of Biomedical Gerontology (IABG).[2]
Referencesedit
^"Denham Harman, M.D., Ph.D.: Pioneering aging research for five decades". Health. University of Nebraska at Omaha. 2008–2009. Retrieved 2010-02-13.
^ abcdeColman, John (July 14, 2009). . Humanity+ Magazine. Humanity+. Archived from the original on 2010-02-01. Retrieved 2010-02-13.
^ abCheung, Melissa (June 13, 2003). "Finding The Fountain Of Youth: Doctor Continues Gerontology Research Through His Own Old Age". Health. CBS News. Retrieved 2010-02-13.
^Josh Funk (2014-11-29). "Denham Harman, researcher who developed free-radical theory of aging, dies at 98". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 1330888409.
^Staff (25 November 2014). "Doctor behind 'free radical' aging theory dies". United States: Fox News. Associated Press.
^Harman, D (1956). "Aging: a theory based on free radical and radiation chemistry". Journal of Gerontology. 11 (3): 298–300. CiteSeerX10.1.1.663.3809. doi:10.1093/geronj/11.3.298. PMID 13332224.
^Harman, D (1972). "A biologic clock: the mitochondria?". Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 20 (4): 145–147. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.1972.tb00787.x. PMID 5016631. S2CID 396830.
Harman D, Harman H (2003). ""I thought, thought, thought for four months in vain and suddenly the idea came"--an interview with Denham and Helen Harman. Interview by K. Kitani and G.O. Ivy". Biogerontology. 4 (6): 401–412. doi:10.1023/B:BGEN.0000006561.15498.68. PMID 14739712. S2CID 39665012.
External linksedit
About IABG (International Association of Biomedical Gerontology)
January 01, 1970
denham, harman, february, 1916, november, 2014, american, medical, academic, latterly, served, professor, emeritus, university, nebraska, medical, center, harman, known, father, free, radical, theory, aging, born, 1916, february, 1916san, francisco, california. Denham Harman February 14 1916 November 25 2014 was an American medical academic who latterly served as professor emeritus at the University of Nebraska Medical Center 1 2 3 Harman is known as the father of the free radical theory of aging 2 3 Denham HarmanBorn 1916 02 14 February 14 1916San Francisco California U S DiedNovember 25 2014 2014 11 25 aged 98 Omaha Nebraska U S EducationUniversity of California Berkeley Stanford UniversityKnown forFree radical theory of agingScientific careerInstitutionsShell Oil Emeryville California University of Nebraska Contents 1 Background 2 Development of the Free Radical Theory of Aging 3 Mitochondrial Theory of Aging 4 Organizational accomplishments 5 References 6 External linksBackground editBorn in San Francisco 4 he earned his BS and Ph D in 1943 from the College of Chemistry at the University of California Berkeley and his M D from Stanford University finishing his internship in 1954 Immediately after earning his Ph D in 1943 Harman joined the reaction kinetics department of Shell Oil in Emeryville California He worked for six years as a Shell research chemist in part studying free radical reactions in petroleum products During that period he was granted 35 patents one for a compound used in plastic strips to kill flies Shell No Pest Strip Harman became fascinated with the phenomenon of aging its cause and possible cure To assist him in understanding this problem he went to medical school at Stanford University Harman became chair of cardiovascular research at the University of Nebraska College of Medicine in 1958 Harman was married to the same woman for most of his life a journalism student whom he met at a fraternity dance while at the University of California The couple had four children and four grandchildren Harman maintained a healthy lifestyle throughout his life He never smoked and drank alcohol in moderation He ran two miles a day until he was 82 He quit because of a back injury but he continued to take regular walks to help him maintain a weight of 140 pounds on his 5 foot 10 frame Harman died in Omaha Nebraska on November 25 2014 from a short illness aged 98 5 Development of the Free Radical Theory of Aging editIn 1954 between his internship and residency in internal medicine Harman became a research associate at the Donner Laboratory of Medical Physics at UC Berkeley 2 where he was able to pursue the puzzle of the cause of aging After four months of frustration he hit upon the idea of free radicals as cause of the damage to macromolecules known as aging Although initially other scientists were reluctant to accept his theory he was finally able to get it published in what is now a much cited article in the Journal of Gerontology 6 Mitochondrial Theory of Aging editAfter years of frustration over his inability to increase maximum lifespan with antioxidant supplements Harman came to the conclusion that mitochondria were producing as well as being damaged by free radicals but that exogenous antioxidants don t enter the mitochondria And that it is mitochondria that determine lifespan He published his ideas on what he called the mitochondrial theory of aging in the April 1972 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2 7 Organizational accomplishments editIn 1969 Harman became concerned that few of those involved in gerontology were studying the biological aspects of aging and fewer still had a serious interest in discovering the cause of aging In 1970 he became a founder of the American Aging Association AGE to create a society of scientists focused on aging research and advocacy of aging research In 1985 he became a founder of the International Association of Biomedical Gerontology IABG 2 References edit Denham Harman M D Ph D Pioneering aging research for five decades Health University of Nebraska at Omaha 2008 2009 Retrieved 2010 02 13 a b c d e Colman John July 14 2009 Leaders in Modern Gerontology Denham Harman Takes on the Free Radicals Humanity Magazine Humanity Archived from the original on 2010 02 01 Retrieved 2010 02 13 a b Cheung Melissa June 13 2003 Finding The Fountain Of Youth Doctor Continues Gerontology Research Through His Own Old Age Health CBS News Retrieved 2010 02 13 Josh Funk 2014 11 29 Denham Harman researcher who developed free radical theory of aging dies at 98 The Washington Post Washington D C ISSN 0190 8286 OCLC 1330888409 Staff 25 November 2014 Doctor behind free radical aging theory dies United States Fox News Associated Press Harman D 1956 Aging a theory based on free radical and radiation chemistry Journal of Gerontology 11 3 298 300 CiteSeerX 10 1 1 663 3809 doi 10 1093 geronj 11 3 298 PMID 13332224 Harman D 1972 A biologic clock the mitochondria Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 20 4 145 147 doi 10 1111 j 1532 5415 1972 tb00787 x PMID 5016631 S2CID 396830 Harman D Harman H 2003 I thought thought thought for four months in vain and suddenly the idea came an interview with Denham and Helen Harman Interview by K Kitani and G O Ivy Biogerontology 4 6 401 412 doi 10 1023 B BGEN 0000006561 15498 68 PMID 14739712 S2CID 39665012 External links editAbout IABG International Association of Biomedical Gerontology Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Denham Harman amp oldid 1177915626, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
