Paul C. Lauterbur

Biography

Abstract

Paul Lauterbur obtained a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh. He spent the majority of his career at the State University of New York at Stony Brook and the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign. He is best known for his work conceiving and developing magnetic resonance imaging which led to the MRI techniques used in medical diagnosis and earned him a 2003 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Peter Mansfield.

Important Dates

May 6, 1929Birth, Sidney (Ohio).

1951Obtained BS in Chemistry, Case Institute of Technology, Cleveland (Ohio).

1951 – 1962Researcher, Mellon Institute Laboratories, Dow Corning Corporation, Pittsburgh (Pa.).

1950sTwo years of service Army Chemical Center, United States Army, Edgewood (Harford County, Md.).

1962Obtained PhD in Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh (Pa.).

1963 – 1985Professor of Chemistry and Radiology, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook (N.Y.).

1969 – 1970Sabbatical at Chemistry department, Stanford University.

1982Awarded Gold Medal, Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

1984Awarded Albert Lasker Clinical Research Award.

1985Member, National Academy of Sciences.

1985 – 1990Professor, College of Medicine at Chicago, University of Illinois, Chicago (Ill.).

1985 – 2007Professor and Director, Biomedical Magnetic Resonance Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana (Ill.).

1986Awarded European Magnetic Resonance Award.

1987Awarded National Medal of Science.

1987Awarded Roentgen Medal.

1987Awarded the Gold Medal, Radiological Society of North America.

1992Awarded International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine Award.

1994Awarded the Kyoto Prize for Advanced Technology.

1999Awarded Gold Medal, European Congress of Radiology.

2001Awarded NAS Award for Chemistry in Service to Society, National Academy of Sciences.

2003Awarded Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Peter Mansfield “for their discoveries concerning magnetic resonance imaging”.

March 27, 2007Death, Urbana (Ill.).

Occupation

Medical chemist.

Places

Birth

Sidney (Ohio)

Undergraduate Education

Cleveland (Ohio)

Employment

Pittsburgh (Pa.)

Stony Brook (N.Y.)

Chicago (Ill.)

Urbana (Ill.)

Graduate Education

Pittsburgh (Pa.)

Death

Urbana (Ill.)

Subjects

Magnetic resonance imaging.

Nuclear magnetic resonance.

Spectrum analysis.

Relationships

People

Family

Caputo, Rose Mary

First wife, married in 1962.

Dawson, M. Joan, 1944-2017

Second wife, married in 1984.

Lauterbur, Daniel

Son.

Lauterbur, Edward Joseph

Father.

Lauterbur, Elise

Daughter.

Lauterbur-DiGeronimo, Sharyn

Daughter.

Wagner, Gertrude Frieda

Mother.

Advisors & Collaborators

Dean, Christopher

PhD advisor at University of Pittsburgh.

Kumbhani, Romesh

Research assistant to Lauterbur at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Mansfield, P.

Research collaborator and shares 2003 Nobel Prize "for discoveries concerning magnetic resonance imaging."

Tsao, Jeffrey Y.

Advised by Lauterbur at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Colleagues

Drickamer, H. G. (Harry George), 1918-2002

Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Gutowsky, Herbert Sander, 1919-

Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Slichter, Charles P.

Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Institutions

Major Positions

College of Medicine at Chicago

Professor.

Dow Corning Corporation

Researcher, Mellon Institute Laboratories.

Stanford University. Department of Chemistry

Sabbatical appointment.

State University of New York at Stony Brook. Department of Chemistry

Professor of Chemistry and Radiology.

United States. Army

Two years of service, Army Chemical Center.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Department of Chemistry

Professor and Director, Biomedical Magnetic Resonance Laboratory.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

Case Institute of Technology

Obtained BS in Chemistry (1951).

European Congress of Radiology

Awarded 1999 Gold Medal.

International Society of Magnetic Resonance

Awarded 1992 International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine Award.

National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)

Member and awarded 2001 NAS Award for Chemistry in Service to Society.

Radiological Society of North America

Awarded 1987 Gold Medal.

Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (U.S.)

Awarded 1982 Gold Medal.

University of Pittsburgh. Department of Chemistry

Obtained PhD in Chemistry (1962).

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

Paul C. Lauterbur papers, 1945-2010.

The Donald F. and Mildred Topp Othmer Library of Chemical History.

Science History Institute

315 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2702, USA

Subject

American Institute of Physics Physics Today division Bertram Schwarzschild Nobel Prize files, 1954-2013.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Published Resources

Subject

Encyclopaedia Britannica - Paul Lauterbur

Paul C. Lauterbur Nobel Prize biography.

Paul Christian Lauterbur Physics Today obituary.

Paul Lauterbur - National Academy of Sciences Biographical Memoir.