Peter Agre earned the 2003 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery of aquaporins, the specialized proteins responsible for transporting water molecules across cell membranes. This breakthrough resolved a long-standing biological uncertainty regarding how water moves through cellular tissues, fundamentally altering the understanding of membrane physiology and fluid regulation in human health and disease.
Early Education and Career
Born in 1949 in Northfield, Minnesota, Agre attended Roosevelt High School before graduating from Augsburg University with a degree in chemistry. He earned his medical degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in 1974. Following clinical training in internal medicine at Case Western Reserve University and a fellowship at the University of North Carolina, he joined the faculty at Johns Hopkins in 1981.
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Early in his career, Agre investigated the molecular basis of enterotoxin-induced diarrhea. Later, working within the Department of Cell Biology, he identified spectrin deficiency as a primary cause of hereditary spherocytosis. While isolating the Rhesus blood group antigen, his team serendipitously discovered a 28-kilodalton protein in red cell membranes, which proved to be a previously unidentified water channel.
The Aquaporin Discovery
Collaborating with William Guggino and Gregory Preston, Agre confirmed the protein's function by expressing its cRNA in Xenopus laevis oocytes. These cells swelled and burst in fresh water, proving the protein acted as a water-channel. Now classified as aquaporin-1, this protein belongs to a large family essential for functions ranging from saliva production to renal concentration.
Leadership and Science Diplomacy
Agre served as Vice Chancellor for Science and Technology at Duke University Medical Center from 2005 to 2008. Upon returning to Johns Hopkins, he assumed the role of director at the Malaria Research Institute. He was elected president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2009, where he became involved in international science diplomacy.
Fast facts
- Born: 1949, Northfield, United States
- Nobel Prize in Chemistry: 2003
- Alma mater: Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
- Primary discovery: Aquaporins
- Professional role: Microbiologist and Molecular Biologist
- Recognitions: Distinguished Eagle Scout Award
- Institutional affiliation: Johns Hopkins University
- Current status: Living
Questions readers ask
What is the primary function of aquaporins?
Aquaporins act as channels that facilitate the rapid movement of water molecules across cell membranes.
What medical conditions are linked to aquaporin defects?
Defects in these channels can lead to conditions such as cerebral edema, dry eye, anhydrosis, and dehydration.
Achievements
- Nobel Prize in Chemistry — 2003
- Held posts at Duke University, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Johns Hopkins University
- Educated at Augsburg University, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Johns Hopkins University
- Fields of research: molecular biology
