Viktor Hamburger

Viktor Hamburger (July 9, 1900 – June 12, 2001) was a German professor and embryologist. In 1951 he co-authored the Hamburger-Hamilton stages. Hamburger lectured, among others, Nobel Prize-winning neurologist Rita Levi-Montalcini, who identified nerve growth factor along with Hamburger when they collaborated. Hamburger began to work at Washington University in St. Louis in 1935; he retired from his professor position in 1969 and continued researching until the 1980s.

Early life

Hamburger was born on (1900-07-09)July 9, 1900 in Landeshut, Silesia, Germany to Max Hamburger and Else Gradenwitz.

Career

In the 1960s, Hamburger did embryological work that established that chick movements in embryo were spontaneous patterns, a finding that contradicted contemporary assertions of behavioral psychologists.

Hamburger later revisited nerve growth factor, demonstrating that it was required for the maintenance of neural cells.

Selected Awards

• 1953 - Inducted into National Academy of Sciences
• 1976 - Honorary doctorate, Washington University in St. Louis
• 1978 - Wakeman Award for Research in the Neurosciences
• 1981 - Ross Harrison Prize from the International Society of Developmental Biologists, shared with Donald Brown
• 1983 - Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize of Columbia University with Stanley Cohen and Rita Levi-Montalcini
• 1984 - Honorary doctorate, Uppsala University
• 1985 - Ralph W. Gerard Prize in Neuroscience from the Society for Neuroscience
• 1989 - National Medal of Science
• 1990 - Karl Spencer Lashley Award of the American Philosophical Society
• 2000 - Lifetime Achievement Award, Society for Developmental Biology

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

• The Viktor Hamburger Lecture
• Viktor Hamburger Outstanding Educator Prize
• Viktor Hamburger Virtual Exhibit