Zénon Marcel Bacq (31 December 1903 in

La Louvière La Louvière (; ) is a city and Municipalities of Belgium, municipality of Wallonia located in the Hainaut Province, province of Hainaut, Belgium. The municipality consists of the following districts: Boussoit, Haine-Saint-Paul, Haine-Saint-Pie ...

– 12 July 1983 in Fontenoy) was a Belgian radiobiologist and inventor. He studied medicine at the

Université libre de Bruxelles The (French language, French, ; lit. Free University of Brussels; abbreviated ULB) is a French-speaking research university in Brussels, Belgium. It has three campuses: the ''Solbosch'' campus (in the City of Brussels and Ixelles), the ''Plain ...

(ULB), and became an MD in 1927. He studied at

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

(1929–1930), with a grant from the FNRS. He taught animal physiology, pathology, as well as pharmacology and radiobiology at the

University of Liège The University of Liège (), or ULiège, is a major public university of the French Community of Belgium founded in 1817 and based in Liège, Wallonia, Belgium. Its official language is French (language), French. History The university was foun ...

(ULg). Bacq worked on nerve transmission and had examined adrenergic and cholinergic transmission. During the war years he worked in Walter B. Cannon's laboratory at Harvard examining gas interaction with sulphur compounds. While studying the chemical transmissions of nerve impulses, he invented processes to guard himself against

ionizing radiation Ionizing (ionising) radiation, including Radioactive decay, nuclear radiation, consists of subatomic particles or electromagnetic waves that have enough energy per individual photon or particle to ionization, ionize atoms or molecules by detaching ...

s. In 1948 he was awarded the Francqui Prize on Biological and Medical Sciences. Bacq was a gifted musician who played the piano, composing songs and arranging stage music for Shakespeare's Tempest when it was performed in Liege. He also took an interest in literature and painting.

Honours

* 3.7.1971: Member of the

Royal Academy of Science, Letters and Fine Arts of Belgium The Royal Academy of Science, Letters and Fine Arts of Belgium ( , sometimes referred to as ' ) is the independent learned society of science and arts of the French Community of Belgium. One of Belgium's numerous academies, it is the French-speak ...

.Index biographique des membres et associés de l'Académie royale de Belgique (1769–2005)

References

External links

Zenon Bacq
(in French) 1903 births 1983 deaths People from La Louvière 20th-century Belgian physicians Members of the Royal Academy of Belgium Walloon people Harvard University alumni Free University of Brussels (1834–1969) alumni Academic staff of the University of Liège Walloon movement activists {{Belgium-scientist-stub