Zvi Laron ( he, צבי לרון, born February 6, 1927) is an Israeli

paediatric Pediatrics ( also spelled ''paediatrics'' or ''pædiatrics'') is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. In the United Kingdom, paediatrics covers many of their youth until the ...

endocrinologist Endocrinology (from ''endocrine'' + '' -ology'') is a branch of biology and medicine dealing with the endocrine system, its diseases, and its specific secretions known as hormones. It is also concerned with the integration of developmental events ...

. Born in

Cernăuţi Chernivtsi ( uk, Чернівці́}, ; ro, Cernăuți, ; see also other names) is a city in the historical region of Bukovina, which is now divided along the borders of Romania and Ukraine, including this city, which is situated on the up ...

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

, Laron is a professor emeritus at

Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv University (TAU) ( he, אוּנִיבֶרְסִיטַת תֵּל אָבִיב, ''Universitat Tel Aviv'') is a public research university in Tel Aviv, Israel. With over 30,000 students, it is the largest university in the country. Locate ...

. In 1966, he described the type of

dwarfism Dwarfism is a condition wherein an organism is exceptionally small, and mostly occurs in the animal kingdom. In humans, it is sometimes defined as an adult height of less than , regardless of sex; the average adult height among people with dw ...

later called

Laron syndrome Laron syndrome (LS), also known as growth hormone insensitivity or growth hormone receptor deficiency (GHRD), is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by a lack of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1; somatomedin) production in response t ...

. His research opened the way to the treatment of many cases of growth hormone disorders. He was the first to introduce the multidisciplinary treatment for juvenile diabetes.

Biography

Family background and childhood

Laron was born on February 7, 1927, to a Jewish family in the

Bukovinian Bukovinagerman: Bukowina or ; hu, Bukovina; pl, Bukowina; ro, Bucovina; uk, Буковина, ; see also List of European regions with alternative names#B, other languages. is a List of historical regions of Central Europe, historical regio ...

city of Cernăuţi (Chernivtsi), then in

(now in

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

). At the age of 6, he moved with his family to another Bukovinian town,

Rădăuți Rădăuți (; german: Radautz; hu, Radóc; pl, Radowce; uk, Радівці, ''Radivtsi''; yi, ראַדעװיץ ''Radevits''; tr, Radoviçe) is a town in Suceava County, north-eastern Romania. It is situated in the historical region of Buko ...

. Following the June 1941 invasion of the USSR by Nazi Germany, Romania allied itself with

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

and regained Northern Bukovina (which had been annexed by the USSR in 1940), the 14 years old child and his family were deported to the concentration camps of

Transnistria Transnistria, officially the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR), is an unrecognised breakaway state that is internationally recognised as a part of Moldova. Transnistria controls most of the narrow strip of land between the Dniester riv ...

. There he had the chance to survive as a worker in a factory, which was founded in

Mogilev Mogilev (russian: Могилёв, Mogilyov, ; yi, מאָלעוו, Molev, ) or Mahilyow ( be, Магілёў, Mahilioŭ, ) is a city in eastern Belarus, on the Dnieper River, about from the border with Russia's Smolensk Oblast and from the bor ...

by his uncle, Siegfried Sami Jagendorf (1885–1970), in order to save as many Jewish deportees as possible. Accordingly, Laron became a licensed iron

turner Turner may refer to: People and fictional characters *Turner (surname), a common surname, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Turner (given name), a list of people with the given name *One who uses a lathe for turni ...

Studies in Romania and Israel

After the end of the war, Laron was able to complete his high school studies and in 1945 he commenced his studies in

medicine Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pract ...

at the newly founded Medical School (Institutul medico-farmaceutic) in the town of

Timișoara ), City of Roses ( ro, Orașul florilor), City of Parks ( ro, Orașul parcurilor) , image_map = Timisoara jud Timis.svg , map_caption = Location in Timiș County , pushpin_map = Romania#Europe , pushpin_ ...

, in western Romania. He was an active member of the

Zionist Zionism ( he, צִיּוֹנוּת ''Tsiyyonut'' after ''Zion'') is a nationalist movement that espouses the establishment of, and support for a homeland for the Jewish people centered in the area roughly corresponding to what is known in Je ...

students movement "Hasmonea", and left Romania in 1947 in order to emigrate illegally to

Eretz Israel The Land of Israel () is the traditional Jewish name for an area of the Southern Levant. Related biblical, religious and historical English terms include the Land of Canaan, the Promised Land, the Holy Land, and Palestine (see also Isra ...

, then

Mandatory Palestine Mandatory Palestine ( ar, فلسطين الانتدابية '; he, פָּלֶשְׂתִּינָה (א״י) ', where "E.Y." indicates ''’Eretz Yiśrā’ēl'', the Land of Israel) was a geopolitical entity established between 1920 and 1948 ...

. The ship of Jewish refugees from Eastern Europe, "Pan York" (nicknamed in Hebrew "Kibbutz Galuyot") was captured in the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...

by the

British navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by Kingdom of England, English and Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were foug ...

and its passengers, including Laron, were deported to internment camps in

Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...

. After the

proclamation A proclamation (Lat. ''proclamare'', to make public by announcement) is an official declaration issued by a person of authority to make certain announcements known. Proclamations are currently used within the governing framework of some nations ...

of the

State of Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

in May 1948, Laron was freed and allowed to enter the country. After his arrival, he joined the army and served in the "Dajani" and

Tel Hashomer Tel HaShomer ( he, תֵּל הַשּׁוֹמֵר, ''lit.'' Hill of the Guardsman) or Kiryat Krinitzi is a neighborhood in Ramat Gan, Israel. It is bordered to the north by Kiryat Ono, to the east by Yehud, and to the south by Or Yehuda. A major ...

's hospitals. In 1952, he graduated with MD from the

Hadassah Hospital 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 –, ...

Hebrew University 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 ...

Medical School A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, or part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS, M ...

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

. He then did his internship at

Rambam Hospital Rambam Health Care Campus ( he, רמב"ם - הקריה הרפואית לבריאות האדם) commonly called Rambam Hospital, is a teaching hospital in the Bat Galim neighborhood of Haifa, Israel founded in 1938, 10 years before the establishme ...

Haifa Haifa ( he, חֵיפָה ' ; ar, حَيْفَا ') is the third-largest city in Israel—after Jerusalem and Tel Aviv—with a population of in . The city of Haifa forms part of the Haifa metropolitan area, the third-most populous metropol ...

. During 1954–1957, he was a research and clinical fellow in paediatrics at the

Massachusetts General Hospital Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General or MGH) is the original and largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School located in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It is the third oldest general hospital in the United Stat ...

and

Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the graduate medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical Area of Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is one of the oldest medical schools in the United States and is consi ...

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

, and at the Children's Hospital in

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

, while his fellowships was focalized especially on childhood endocrinology.

Work as endocrinologist in Israel

End of 1957, Laron returned to Israel and joined André de Vries in founding the pediatric endocrinological clinic and research in Israel. In 1958 he was the founder of the Institute for Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology at the Beilinson Medical Center in

Petah Tikva Petah Tikva ( he, פֶּתַח תִּקְוָה, , ), also known as ''Em HaMoshavot'' (), is a city in the Central District (Israel), Central District of Israel, east of Tel Aviv. It was founded in 1878, mainly by Haredi Judaism, Haredi Jews of ...

, affiliated to Tel Aviv University, and led it until 1992. Laron was one of the first members of the teaching staff of the School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University and had a leading role in elaborating the pediatric teaching program at that institution. From 1983 to 1997 Laron was Incumbent of the Irene and Nicholas Marsh Chair in Endocrinology and Juvenile Diabetes,

Sackler Faculty of Medicine Sackler Faculty of Medicine is a medical school affiliated with Tel Aviv University, located in Tel Aviv, Israel. History The Sackler School of Medicine was named for Arthur, Mortimer and Raymond Sackler, and was founded and named prior to the ...

, Tel Aviv University. He also founded the All-Country Center for Juvenile Diabetes and an endocrinological laboratory aimed to develop new methods of detecting hormones in blood. This laboratory worked in the frame of the Felsenstein Institute of Research. Since 1998 Laron has been

Professor Emeritus ''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...

Pediatric Endocrinology Pediatric endocrinology (British: Paediatric) is a medical subspecialty dealing with disorders of the endocrine glands, such as variations of physical growth and sexual development in childhood, diabetes and many more. By age, pediatric endocrin ...

, Tel Aviv University and Director of

Endocrinology Endocrinology (from '' endocrine'' + '' -ology'') is a branch of biology and medicine dealing with the endocrine system, its diseases, and its specific secretions known as hormones. It is also concerned with the integration of developmental event ...

and

Diabetes Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ap ...

Research Unit, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel. In 1966 together with A. Pertzelan and S. Mannheimer, they described a new type of dwarfism (subsequently named "Laron Syndrome") of

growth hormone Growth hormone (GH) or somatotropin, also known as human growth hormone (hGH or HGH) in its human form, is a peptide hormone that stimulates growth, cell reproduction, and cell regeneration in humans and other animals. It is thus important in h ...

resistance characterized by high levels of GH in serum, and low IGF-I levels, Laron et al. so described the GH receptor defect, The Institute of Pediatric Endocrinology founded and led by him was among the first medical centers to produce and use in therapy the GH and IGF hormones and gonadotropin analogues. Prof. Laron was among the founders of the

International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes The International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes is a professional organization located in Berlin, Germany, whose aims are to promote clinical basic science, research, education and advocacy in childhood and adolescent diabetes. ...

, (ISPAD) He founded and served as Editor in Chief The European Society of Pediatric Endorinology (ESPE) and the Growth Hormone Research Society (GRS) of the scientific journals ''Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism'', ''Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology'' and ''Pediatric Endocrinology Reviews''. to present

Awards

Zvi Laron has received many honours, among them: * 1982 Paul Langerhans Medal and Memorial Lecture, German Diabetes Association * 1987 Member, German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina * 1993 Award of Merit conferred by ISPAD (International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetology) * 1995 Honorary Member of the Medical and Scientific Academy of Romania * 1998 Doctor Honoris Causa conferred by the University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Hatieganu", Cluj-Napoca, Romania * 1998 Centennial Medal, Italian Pediatric Society * 1999 Andrea Prader Prize – ESPE (European Society of Pediatric Endocrinology) * 2000 Doctor Honoris Causa, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timișoara, Romania * 2000 Doctor Honoris Causa, University of Novara, Italy * 2001 Recipient of The Endocrine Society (USA) Clinical Investigator Award * 2002 Nominated Honorary President of the Hellenic Society for the Study and Applications of Growth Hormone, Greece * 2003 International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD)Prize for achievements in Science, Education and Advocacy for Childhood Diabetes * 2008 Knight, First Class of the Order of the White Rose of Finland awarded by the President of the State of Finland * 2009 Israel Prize awarded by the State of Israel in recognition for contributions in the field of pediatric endocrinology and diabetes * 2012 Recipient of the Human Growth Foundation (USA) Award, Houston, Texas *2014 Israel Society of Endocrinology (IES) Award in recognition of contributions to Endocrinology in Israel *2015 American College of Endocrinology International Endocrinology Award *2015 Doctor Honoris Causa in Science, University of San Francisco Quito, Ecuador *2016 Growth Hormone Research Society Honorary Award *2017 Honorary Doctorate, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece *2017 Honorary Member, Ecuadorian Pediatric Society, Ecuador

Selective papers of special interest

# Laron Z, Pertzelan A, Mannheimer S. Genetic pituitary dwarfism with high serum concentration of growth hormone—a new inborn error of metabolism? Israel journal of medical sciences. 1966;2:152-5 # Laron Z, Pertzelan A, Karp M, Kowadlo-Silbergeld A, Daughaday WH. Administration of growth hormone to patients with familial dwarfism with high plasma immunoreactivity growth hormone: measurement of sulfation factor, metabolic and linear growth responses. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. 1971;33:332-42 # Laron Z, Galatzer A, Amir S, Gil R, Karp M, Mimouni M. A multidisciplinary, comprehensive, ambulatory treatment scheme for diabetes mellitus in children. Diabetes care. 1979;2:342-8 # Eshet R, Laron Z, Pertzelan A, Arnon R, Dintzman M. Defect of human growth hormone receptors in the liver of two patients with Laron-type dwarfism. Israel journal of medical sciences. 1984;20:8-11 # Godowski PJ, Leung DW, Meacham LR, Galgani JP, Hellmiss R, Keret R, et al. Characterization of the human growth hormone receptor gene and demonstration of a partial gene deletion in two patients with Laron-type dwarfism. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 1989;86:8083-7 # Gil-Ad I, Leibowitch N, Josefsberg Z, Wasserman M, Laron Z. Effect of oral clonidine, insulin-induced hypoglycemia and exercise on plasma GHRH levels in short-stature children. Acta endocrinologica. 1990;122:89-95 # Laron Z. Laron syndrome (primary growth hormone resistance or insensitivity): the personal experience 1958–2003. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. 2004;89:1031-44 # Weinstein D, Simon M, Yehezkel E, Laron Z, Werner H. Insulin analogues display IGF-I-like mitogenic and anti-apoptotic activities in cultured cancer cells. Diabetes/metabolism research and reviews. 2009;25:41-9 # Steuerman R, Shevah O, Laron Z. Congenital IGF1 deficiency tends to confer protection against post-natal development of malignancies. European journal of endocrinology. 2011;164:485-9 # Laron Z, Hampe CS, Shulman LM. The urgent need to prevent type 1 autoimmune childhood diabetes. Pediatric endocrinology reviews : PER. 2015;12:266-8 # Laron Z, Laron-Kenet T, Klinger G. For Debate: Growth Hormone Treatment of Infants Born Small for Gestational Age should be Started at or before the First Year of Age. Pediatric endocrinology reviews : PER. 2016;14:105-8

Books authored

Thomas J. Mérimée, Zvi Laron Growth Hormone, IGF-I and Growth: New Views of Old Concepts Freund Publishing House, London, UK, 1996 Zvi Laron, John Kopchick Laron Syndrome – From Man to Mouse Lessons from Clinical and Experimental Experience Springer, Heidelberg, 2011

Books edited

Zvi Laron Habilitation and Rehabilitation of Juvenile Diabetics: Proceedings Williams and Wilkins company, 1970 Zvi Laron The Adipose Child S. Kager Pub, Basel, 1976 Zvi Laron, Avinoam Galatzer Psychological Aspects of Diabetes in children and Adolescents S.Karger Pub, Basel, 1983 Laron Z, Rogol AD Hormones and Sport Raven Press, New York, 1989 Z Laron, M Karp Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors for Type 1 Diabetes (IDDM) Including a Discussion on the Autoimmune Basis Freund Publishing House Ltd, London, UK, 1992 Zvi Laron, Otfrid Butenandt Growth Hormone Replacement therapy in Adults: Pros and Cons. 1st Edition. Feund Publishing House Ltd, London, UK, 1993 Laron Z, Parks JS Lessons from Laron Syndrome (Ls) 1966–1992. A Model of GH and iGF-1 Action and Interaction. Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology, Volume 24 S. Karger Pub, Basel, 1993 Zvi Laron, S. Mastragostino, C. Romano Limb Lengthening for Whom, When & How? Freund Publishing House Ltd, Londo, UK, 1995

References

External links

*
"Perpetuum mobile, homage article about Zvi Laron in ''Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism'' 22 ,387–388, 2009 Freund Publ. London
* *The Endocrine Society Oral History Collection, The Clark Sawin Library, USA, June 23, 2012 *