Haim Ernst Wertheimer ( he, חיים ארנסט ורטהיימר; August 24, 1893 – March 23, 1978) was an Israeli
biochemist
Biochemists are scientists who are trained in biochemistry. They study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. Biochemists study DNA, proteins and Cell (biology), cell parts. The word "biochemist" is a portmanteau of ...
.
Biography
Wertheimer was born in
Bühl,
Germany in 1893 and studied in his native town and in
Baden-Baden. He commenced studying medicine in 1912, initially in
Berlin,
Bonn and
Kiel, before his studies were interrupted by
World War I, where he served in a medical capacity in
Flanders and
Italy, and was awarded the
Iron Cross, second class, and other decorations. Following the war, he completed his medical studies in
Heidelberg University.
In 1920–21 Wertheimer worked as a doctor at Berlin's municipal orphanage, and subsequently received a position at the Institute for Physiology,
University of Halle.
With the
Nazi rise to power in Germany Wertheimer lost his job. In 1934 he emigrated to
Mandate Palestine and accepted a job as temporary director of the Laboratory of Chemistry, at
Hadassah Medical School
Hadassah Medical Center ( he, הָמֶרְכָּז הָרְפוּאִי הֲדַסָּה) is an Israeli medical organization established in 1934 that operates two university hospitals in Jerusalem – one in Ein Karem and one in Mount Scopus –, ...
in the
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; he, הַאוּנִיבֶרְסִיטָה הַעִבְרִית בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם) is a public research university based in Jerusalem, Israel. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Dr. Chaim Weiz ...
. He continued working at the
Hadassah Medical Center until 1963,
and served as dean of the institution in the '50s. Werthimer is regarded as the father of the field of fat metabolism.
[Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It
By Gary Taubes, p.113]
Awards
* In 1956, Wertheimer was awarded the
Israel Prize
The Israel Prize ( he, פרס ישראל; ''pras israél'') is an award bestowed by the State of Israel, and regarded as the state's highest cultural honor.
History
The Israel Prize is awarded annually, on Israeli Independence Day, in a state cer ...
, for
medicine.
* In 1964, he received the
Solomon Bublick Award of the
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; he, הַאוּנִיבֶרְסִיטָה הַעִבְרִית בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם) is a public research university based in Jerusalem, Israel. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Dr. Chaim Weiz ...
.
See also
*
List of Israel Prize recipients
This is a complete list of recipients of the Israel Prize from the inception of the Prize in 1953 through to 2022.
List
For each year, the recipients are, in most instances, listed in the order in which they appear on the official Israel Prize ...
*
Wertheimer
References
External links
Curriculum Vitai in German
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wertheimer, Haim Ernst
Heidelberg University alumni
Academic staff of the University of Halle
Academic staff of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Israel Prize in medicine recipients
Israeli scientists
Jewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to Mandatory Palestine
German Jewish military personnel of World War I
People from Bühl (Baden)
1893 births
1978 deaths
Solomon Bublick Award recipients
Physicians from Baden-Württemberg