Maurice Pechet

Maurice Pechet (February 10, 1918 – March 5, 2012) was a professor, scientist, doctor, inventor, and philanthropist.[1] Pechet made substantial contributions to the field of internal medicine, in particular in the domain of developing new antirachitic sterols to treat metabolic bone disease.[2] He resided in Cambridge, Massachusetts for most of his life. At Harvard University, he was a student (earning both a chemistry PhD in 1944 and MD in 1948), professor, and doctor (Massachusetts General Hospital), and was involved with the campus for 70 years.[1]

Maurice Pechet
BornFebruary 10, 1918
Saskatchewan, Canada
DiedMarch 5, 2012(2012-03-05) (aged 94)[1]
Cambridge, Massachusetts
CitizenshipAmerican
Alma materHarvard University
Known forScientist
Internal Medicine
Entrepreneur
Philanthropist
SpouseKitty Pechet

Medical discoveries

Pechet and his research partners are credited with the discovery of the Pechet Factor Deficiency (OMIM:169200), a genetic disorder causing an abnormal blood clotting defect in a sister, brother and mother. Pechet and his research partners suggested that these persons lack a clotting factor that plays a role in the first phase of coagulation, following the activation of factor IX but before the activation of factor X.[3][4][5]

Publications

Pechet has been widely published in leading medical journals, such as the New England Journal of Medicine,[6] the American Journal of Medicine,[7][8] the Journal of Clinical Investigation,[9] and the Journal of Pediatrics.[10]

Leadership roles
  • Served as President of the Research Institute for Medicine & Chemistry, Cambridge, MA.
  • Sat on Harvard Medical School's Board of Fellows.[11]
  • Sat on the Harvard University's Board of Tutors in Biochemical Sciences.[12]
  • Served as a Director Emeritus of Canadian Western Bank.[13]
  • Served as a Honorary Trustee of Immune Disease Institute, Inc.
  • Sat as senior member of the Senior Common Room of Lowell House, at Harvard University.[14]

Personal life

Pechet was married to artist and teacher Kitty Pechet. She continues to reside in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Philanthropy

Pechet donated to a wide range of philanthropic causes. In 1960, he established the Pechet Foundation.[15] The Pechet Foundation has given to scientific research, poverty alleviation, education, the arts, and environmental causes. The Foundation has made donations and provided grants to such organizations as the Golden Foundation for the Arts, the Earthwatch Institute, The Cambridge Family & Children's Service, The Young Audiences of Massachusetts,[16] The New Sector Alliance,[17] The Cambridge Center for Adult Education, The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, The Perkins School for the Blind, The Center for Blood Research (CBR), and the New England Conservatory.

Business activities

Pechet was a Director Emeritus of the Canadian Western Bank.

References
  1. "Maurice M. Pechet Obituary". ObitsforLife. Archived from the original on 2 June 2015. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  2. "The American Society for Clinical Investigation".
  3. "OMIM Entry (169200): Pechet Factor Deficiency". Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man® An Online Catalog of Human Genes and Genetic Disorder. OMIM®, Johns Hopkins University. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  4. "Pechet Factor Deficiency". Comparative Toxicogenomics Database. MDI Biological Laboratory & NC State University. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  5. "National Library of Medicine - Medical Subject Headings: Pechet Factor Deficiency". U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  6. Philippe Bordier, M.D., Maurice M. Pechet, M.D., Robert Hesse, Pierre Marie, and Howard Rasmussen, M.D. (1974). "Response of Adult Patients with Osteomalacia to Treatment with Crystalline 1α-Hydroxy Vitamin D3 291:866-871 October 24, 1974". New England Journal of Medicine. The New England Journal of Medicine. 291 (17): 866–871. doi:10.1056/NEJM197410242911702. PMID 4415589.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. Maurice M. Pechet, M.D., Robert H. Hesse (1974). "Metabolic and clinical effects of pure crystalline 1α-hydroxyvitamin D3 and 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3". The American Journal of Medicine. 57: 13–20. doi:10.1016/0002-9343(74)90762-1.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. Maurice M. Pechet, M.D., Eduardo Bobadilla, M.D., Evelyn L. Carroll, A.B., Robert H. Hesse (1967). "Regulation of bone resorption and formation". The American Journal of Medicine. 43 (5): 696–710. doi:10.1016/0002-9343(67)90112-X. PMID 6054839.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. Maurice M. Pechet, Blair Bowers and Frederic C. Bartters (1959). "METABOLIC STUDIES WITH A NEW SERIES OF 1,4-DIENE STEROIDS. II. EFFECTS IN NORMAL SUBJECTS OF PREDNISONE, PREDNISOLONE, AND 9α-FLUOROPREDNISOLONE, Published in Volume 38, Issue 4 (April, 1959)". Journal of Clinical Investigation. The Journal of Clinical Investigation. 38 (4): 691–701. doi:10.1172/JCI103848. PMC 293209. PMID 13641421.
  10. M.D. Howard Rasmussen; M.D. Maurice Pechet; M.D. Constantine Anast; R.N. Alice Mazur; M.D. Joseph Gertner; M.D. Arthur E. Broadus (1981). "Long-term treatment of familial hypophosphatemic rickets with oral phosphate and 1α-hydroxyvitamin D3". The Journal of Pediatrics. 99 (1): 16–25. doi:10.1016/S0022-3476(81)80951-1. PMID 6265614.
  11. "Harvard Medical School Board of Fellows". Harvard Medical School Website.
  12. "Board of Tutors in Biochemical Sciences". Archived from the original on 2010-07-03.
  13. "Canadian Western Bank (CWB:TSX) Company Profile". BloombergBusinessweek.
  14. "A look inside: Lowell House, Defined by a Harvard family, creating a larger one". Harvard Gazette. 2011-10-27.
  15. "The National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS)". Archived from the original on 2011-07-25. Retrieved 2011-01-05.
  16. "The Young Audiences of Massachusetts: Community Partners and Benefactors". Archived from the original on 2010-07-18.
  17. "The New Sector Alliance: Current and past supporters of New Sector". Archived from the original on 2010-07-12.
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