Otto Loewi

A German-born pharmacologist and psychobiologist, Loewi was known for discovering the role of acetylcholine as an endogenous neurotransmitter. For this discovery he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1936, which he shared with Sir Henry Dale. After German invasion of Austria in 1938, Loewi moved to the United States and became a research professor at the College of Medicine New York University. He continued to stay academically active in his newly adopted country and spent his summers at Woods Hole and MBL. He was also able to relive his childhood delights by surrounding himself with the music and literature of the New World. As a New York Times obituary noted, “The years of Dr Loewi have so overflowed with devotions to art, literature, music, mountain climbing, human fellowship, and the science of biology […]”.