Neurobiology of Lipids (ISSN1683-5506) News

News service from the major scholar publication on the neuroscience of fats in health and disease

11/15/2004

Pierre Morell tribute for neurobiology of lipids

Citation: Toews A, Jurevics H. Pierre Morell tribute for neurobiology of lipids. Neurobiol Lipids Vol. 3, 3 (19 May 2004). Available at: http://neurobiologyoflipids.org/content/3/3/

Abstract: Pierre Morell, Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, passed away on July 15, 2003 after a brief illness. Pierre was educated at the Bronx High School of Science, Columbia University, and The Albert Einstein College of Medicine, doing post-doctoral research with Norm Radin at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Pierre was a leader in the field of myelin metabolism, in particular the synthesis and turnover of myelin lipids (glycosphingo-lipids, phospholipids, cholesterol). A re-curring theme was use of altered states (e.g., mutant or genetically engineered mice, toxicants, altered nutritional states) to examine myelin metabolism and function. He was a tireless supporter of various scientific societies, including the International Society for Neurochemistry, and he provided wise counsel and advice to several generations of neuroscientists throughout the world. His premature passing has left a void that will be difficult to fill. A memorial fund at UNC has been established.

Author: Arrel Toews and Helga Jurevics
Authors Institution: University of North Carolina (UNC) Neuroscience Center, CB# 7250, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7250, USA, atoews[at]med.unc.edu

Key words: memoriam; myelin; demyelination; glycosphingolipids; cerebroside; sulfatide; tellurium; Cuprizone; remyelination; cholesterol; phospholipids; lipid synthesis; lipid turnover; myelin metabolism; myelin gene expression; mutant mice; PLPnull; axonal transport