Hans Konrad Biesalski

Hans Konrad Biesalski (* 14 April 1949 in Marburg) is a German physician and professor of biological chemistry and nutritional medicine at the University of Hohenheim.

Hans Konrad Biesalski
NationalityGerman
Known forHidden hunger
Scientific career
FieldsNutritional medicine
InstitutionsUniversity of Hohenheim

Life

Biesalski enrolled first in physics at Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz before he switched to medicine at Bonn and Mainz where he graduated in 1979.[1] He received his PhD in 1981 for a work about progressive loss of hearing during childhood at Mainz.[2] While working at the Department of Physiology in Mainz, he received his habilitation for a work about vitamin A and the inner ear.[3] In 1993, Biesalski was appointed full professor at the Institute of Biological Chemistry and Nutrition Science at University of Hohenheim. In 2007 Biesalski was chosen as fellow of the Berlin Institute for Advanced Study.[1][4]

Scientific contributions

Biesalski worked on the importance of vitamin A for the development and function of the inner ear and for lung function (maturing and mucous barrier).[5][6] Especially the first-time description of the storage possibility of vitamin A (retinyl ester) in organs and tissues outside the liver were new findings for the research of the vitamin A metabolism.[7][8] In 1995 he succeeded in demonstrating, that an alternative metabolism pathway over circulating retinyl ester exists. It was seen as a new alternative to the classical distribution method of vitamin A from the liver as retinol bound to a retinol binding protein (RBP). A pair of siblings was carrying a mutation of the gene for RBP and therefore showed an unmeasurable retinol blood level. Apart from minor changes of their skin and night blindness the siblings showed no significant anomaly typical for vitamin A deficiency.[9][10][11][12]

Later Biesalski focused on questions of capture and treatment of hidden hunger (micronutrient deficiency)[13][14] and food security. He also dealt with the therapy of micronutrient deficiency, mainly vitamin C at intensive care patients.[15] A further experimental field is nutritargeting, which was described by him first. Nutritarging is the development of galenical formulations, allowing a targeted supply of organs with nutrients.[16]

References
  1. "Hans Konrad Biesalski: Nutrition scientist with an interest in fine arts". Healthcare industry BW. 17 September 2009. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  2. DNB-IDN 830984232
  3. DNB-IDN 880945230
  4. "2007/2008: Hans K. Biesalski , Dr. med". Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  5. Biesalski HK, Wellner U, Weiser H. Vitamin A deficiency increases noise susceptibility in guinea pigs. J Nutr. 1990 Jul;120(7):726-37
  6. Biesalski HK, Weiser H.Sensitive analysis of retinyl esters by isocratic adsorption chromatography. J Clin Chem Clin Biochem. 1989 Feb;27(2):65-74
  7. Biesalski HK. Aspects of vitamin A metabolism in sensory epithelia (inner ear, olfactory bulbus, pineal gland).Int J Vitam Nutr Res Suppl. 1985;27:225-45
  8. Biesalski HK, Nohr D New aspects in vitamin a metabolism: the role of retinyl esters as systemic and local sources for retinol in mucous epithelia. J Nutr. 2004 Dec;134(12 Suppl):3453S-3457S
  9. Biesalski HK, Frank J, Beck SC, Heinrich F, Illek B, Reifen R, Gollnick H, Seeliger MW, Wissinger B, Zrenner E. Biochemical but not clinical vitamin A deficiency results from mutations in the gene for retinol binding protein. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. May 1999; 69(5):931–936. Erratum in: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. April 2000; 71(4):1010.
  10. Seeliger MW, Biesalski HK, Wissinger B, Gollnick H, Gielen S, Frank J, Beck S, Zrenner E. Phenotype in retinol deficiency due to a hereditary defect in retinol binding protein synthesis. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. January 1999; 40(1): 3–11.
  11. Stephensen CB Vitamin A, infection, and immune function. Annual Review of Nutrition. 2001; 21: 167–192. Quote: "Very low serum retinol and RBP concentrations are seen in human subjects with specific point mutations in the human RBP gene. These subjects also have night blindness and retinal dystrophy but few other signs of vitamin A deficiency."
  12. Strauss O The retinal pigment epithelium in visual function. Physiological Reviews. July 2005; 85(3): 845–881. Quote from p. 856: "However, these patients do not have a very severe degenerative phenotype, suggesting that there must be an alternative tissue source for vitamin A."
  13. Jati IR, Vadivel V, Nohr D, Biesalski HK. Nutrient density score of typical Indonesian foods and dietary formulation using linear programming. Public Health Nutr. 2012 Dec;15(12):2185-92
  14. Inayati DA, Scherbaum V, Purwestri RC, Wirawan NN, Suryantan J, Hartono S, Bloem MA, Pangaribuan RV, Biesalski HK, Hoffmann V, Bellows AC. Combined intensive nutrition education and micronutrient powder supplementation improved nutritional status of mildly wasted children on Nias Island, Indonesia.Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2012;21(3):361-73
  15. Biesalski HK. Parenteral ascorbic acid as a key for regulating microcirculation in critically ill. Crit Care Med. 2008 Aug;36(8):2466-8
  16. Biesalski HK, Tinz J. Nutritargeting. Adv Food Nutr Res. 2008;54:179-217
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