1924-

French Physiologist and Endocrinologist

Roger Guillemin's studies of the hormonal control of the pituitary gland, and his work in isolating several hormones, have led to a greater understanding of the disease diabetes, as well as female sexual development. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine, along with Andrew Schally (1926- ) and Rosalyn Yalow (1921- ), in 1977.

Guillemin was born on January 11, 1924, in the small French town of Dijon, the capital of the Burgundy region. His education began at the local public schools and progressed to Dijon's medical school in 1943. Six years later, he received his M.D. from the Faculté de Médecine of Lyons, with his studies based on clinical training, including a three-year "rotating internship." While Guillemin completed his studies, a dark pall settled over his hometown. France was in the throes of World War II, and the German...