The 1944 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine recognized research into the electrical activities of nerve fibers conducted by Herbert Spencer Gasser. His investigation into these action potentials established critical parameters for understanding how human neurons communicate, providing a fundamental contribution to neurophysiology that shaped medical instruction and laboratory practice throughout the mid-twentieth century.
Academic Foundation and Early Training
Born in 1888 in Platteville, Wisconsin, Herbert Spencer Gasser attended Platteville High School and the State Normal School before matriculating at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1907. He completed his undergraduate zoology requirements in two years and transitioned to the medical school in 1909. While studying physiology under Joseph Erlanger and pharmacology under Arthur S. Loevenhart, he served as a pharmacology instructor by 1911. He concluded his medical degree at Johns Hopkins University in 1915.
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Upon returning to the University of Wisconsin, Gasser resumed his role as a pharmacology instructor. In 1916, he joined the department of physiology at Washington University in St. Louis. During the United States' involvement in World War I, Gasser shifted his focus toward chemical warfare research, joining the Armed Forces Chemical Warfare Service in Washington, D.C. in 1918. He returned to Washington University following the Armistice, attaining a professorship in pharmacology by 1921. Between 1923 and 1925, he utilized a Rockefeller Foundation grant to conduct studies in London, Paris, and Munich.
The Rockefeller Institute and Nobel Recognition
Gasser relocated to New York City in 1931 to serve as a professor of physiology at Cornell Medical College. Subsequently, he accepted the position of director at the Rockefeller Institute, succeeding Simon Flexner. He maintained this leadership role until 1953. During this period, he and Joseph Erlanger presented their collective research on nerve cell actions at the University of Pennsylvania in 1936. The Nobel Prize committee honored their collaborative findings in 1944. Gasser dedicated his prize earnings to further neurophysiological research.
Professional Affiliations and Later Years
Beyond his institutional roles, Gasser held memberships in the National Academy of Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He was also a Foreign Member of the Royal Society. His later honors included a doctor honoris causa from the University of Paris in 1953 and the George M. Kober Medal in 1954. Following his retirement from the Rockefeller Institute, Gasser continued his scientific investigations, eventually publishing over 100 papers. He died in New York City in 1963 and was interred at Greenwood Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1888, Platteville
- Died: 1963, New York City
- Nobel Prize: 1944, Physiology or Medicine
- Education: University of Wisconsin–Madison, Johns Hopkins University
- Key Field: Neurophysiology
- Key Employers: Washington University in St. Louis, The Rockefeller University
- Burial Site: Greenwood Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What was the primary focus of Gasser's Nobel-winning research?
He was recognized for his scientific investigations into action potentials within human nerve fibers.
Where did Gasser conduct his professional career?
He held positions at Washington University in St. Louis, Cornell Medical College, and the Rockefeller Institute.
Achievements
- Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine — 1944
- George M. Kober Medal — 1954
- Held posts at Washington University in St. Louis and The Rockefeller University
- Fields: neurophysiology
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