James Black

Profession: Physician and Pharmacologist

Nationality:

Biography: Sir James Whyte Black was a Scottish pharmacologist recognized for his fundamental contributions to the development of medicines for treating several major diseases. Black's most notable achievements include the development of propranolol, the first successful beta-blocker, and cimetidine, a drug used to treat stomach ulcers.

He shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1988 with Gertrude B. Elion and George H. Hitchings, awarded "for their discoveries of important principles for drug treatment."

Born in Scotland, Black graduated from the University of St Andrews School of Medicine with a degree in medicine. He initially pursued a career in veterinary medicine before switching to human medicine and pharmacology.

In the 1950s, while working at the University of Glasgow's Veterinary School, Black began his research into adrenergic beta-receptor blocking drugs. His work led to the development of propranolol in the 1960s, which was a revolutionary treatment for heart disease, particularly for the management of angina and hypertension. Propranolol's success marked a significant shift in cardiovascular disease treatment and opened up a new therapeutic field.

Later, while working for the pharmaceutical company Smith, Kline & French (now part of GlaxoSmithKline), Black developed cimetidine, which was the first drug effective in inhibiting stomach acid production and treating peptic ulcers. Prior to cimetidine, treatment for ulcers primarily involved surgical interventions. Cimetidine drastically changed this, providing a non-surgical treatment option for millions of patients.

Black's approach to drug discovery was methodical and theory-driven, focusing on understanding basic physiological processes and how drugs could be designed to interact with them. His work is seen as an early and influential example of rational drug design, which has since become a standard approach in pharmacology.

Apart from his Nobel Prize, Sir James Black received numerous honors and awards, including being knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1981.

Born: June 14, 1924
Birthplace: Uddingston, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Generation: Greatest Generation
Chinese Zodiac: Rat
Star Sign: Gemini

Died: March 22, 2010 (aged 85)