Biographical Memoirs Volume 78 (2000) / Chapter Skim
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Edward C. Franklin
Edward C. Franklin
Pages 44-63
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From page 45... ...
FRANKLIN, was an outstanding example of a physician-scientist. By applying the new tools for analyzing protein structure he macle significant contributions both to clarifying the funciamental structure of antibodies en cl to our unclerstancling of particular clinical syndromes.
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From page 46... ...
Kunkel's enthusiasm for newly initiated studies on antibodies and multiple myeloma persuaded Franklin to work in those areas. He later reminisces!
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From page 47... ...
zone electrophoresis on starch blocks en cl in polyacrylamicle gels spectacularly extenclecl the preparative en cl analytic options. Likewise, the transfer of the classical precipitin reaction between antibodies en cl antigens from solution in test tubes to two-climensional gels later couplecl with electrophoresisaciclec!
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From page 48... ...
the unusual hinge region of IgG3. He became especially prominent because of his achievements in three particular areas: heavy chain disease, essential mixecl cryogIobulinemia, and amyloid.
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From page 49... ...
The molecular defect in one instance of heavy chain disease was first fully eTuciciatec! in 1969 in the laboratory of Caesar Milstein (Nobel prize, 1984)
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From page 50... ...
He took pride in having anticipated by many years the molecular genetic studies, for example those by Tasuku Honjo, which directly demonstrated the genetic discontinuities. Franklin's discovery of ~ heavy chain disease proved to be only the first example of such cliscorciant synthesis of heavy chains.
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From page 51... ...
They were unable to define any distinctive physical chemical characteristics of those proteins exhibiting cryoprecipitability, en cl they remained unclear about how the cryogammagIobulins proclucecl the complex of symptoms en c! why these symptoms occurred!
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From page 52... ...
A careful clinical description of each patient in turn documents the characteristic clinical features in this group with essential mixer! cryogIobulinemia: a female presenting with purpura involving principally the lower extremities, arthraIgias generally without arthritis, moderate anemia, en c!
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From page 53... ...
They proposal further that the different sex ratios in particular subsets of patients suggester! a predisposition to an aberrant immune response in those with particular HLA genotypes or hormonal status.
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From page 54... ...
a variety of familial types. (Thirty years later, cluring his training at the National Institutes of Health uncler Daniel Kastner, Pras's son Elon was to be a principal in uncovering the gene for familial Mediterranean fever, one of the most common causes of such familial amyloicI.)
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From page 55... ...
It soon became apparent that other amyloicis were not, en cl the amino acid sequence cleterminecl by the New York University group on amyloid fibrils from a patient with familial Mediterranean fever revealer! a protein that is still referred to as serum amyloicl precursor or serum amyloid A (SAA)
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From page 56... ...
to arrange separate offices for themselves in their home because when together their constant conversation prevented them from getting their work accomplished. Comments of his former colleagues refer to Franklin's "extreme conscientiousness and hard work" and Dennis Stanworth, whose family became close to the Franklins, writes that coming from Englanc!
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From page 57... ...
Five years later, Franklin was appointed career scientist of the New York City Health Research Council en c! after another five years was a full professor of medicine, an attending physician at University Hospital, en cl hacl succeeclecl McEwen.
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From page 58... ...
. Repetition of experiments and appropriate controls were kept to a minimum, their number being entirely dictated by the need for publication, if possible in prestigious journals." In his presiclential aciciress at the sixty-sixth annual meeting of the American Society for Clinical Investigation in ~ 974, Franklin approvingly quoted Jaques Monod's comment that "rational intelligence is an instrument of knowIedge especially designed for mastering inert matter but utterly incapable of apprehending life's phenomena." He added in his own worcis that "instinct en cl intuition serve as aciclitional tools in our quest to answer questions in the realm of living matter...." These remarks were made in the context of his fears about the trends he saw towards centralized direction of federally funclec!
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From page 59... ...
Letters from several of Franklin's colleagues were also helpful. Candace Canto of the NIH library kindly performed a citation analysis of some of Franklin's most influential papers.
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An unusual protein component of high molecular weight in the serum of certain patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
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From page 61... ...
The molecular defect in a protein (CRA) found in gamma-1 heavy chain disease, and its genetic implications.
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From page 62... ...
Zucker-Franklin. Degradation of serum amyloid A protein by surface-associated enzymes of human blood monocytes.
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