description Louis Ignarro Overview
Louis Ignarro is an American pharmacologist who has been a faculty member at UCLA. He shared the 1998 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Robert Furchgott and Ferid Murad for discoveries concerning nitric oxide as a signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system. Ignarro demonstrated that nitric oxide is produced by endothelial cells and acts as an endogenous vasodilator by relaxing vascular smooth muscle. His work helped explain the mechanism of action of nitroglycerin and related drugs long used to treat angina and cardiovascular disease.
insights Ranking position
Louis Ignarro ranks #84 of 150 in the Physician ranking, behind Martin Rodbell, ahead of Alois Alzheimer.
help Louis Ignarro FAQ
At which university did Louis Ignarro serve as a faculty member?
Louis Ignarro is an American pharmacologist who has been a prominent faculty member at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He spent years there researching cellular signaling and pharmacology.
What specific molecule did Louis Ignarro identify to win the Nobel Prize?
Ignarro proved that the elusive endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) was actually nitric oxide. This proved that a toxic gas could act as an essential signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system.
With whom did Louis Ignarro share the 1998 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine?
He shared the 1998 Nobel Prize with Robert Furchgott and Ferid Murad. Their combined research revealed how nitric oxide controls blood vessel dilation and blood pressure regulation.
How is Louis Ignarro's Nobel-winning research applied to everyday medicine?
His research on nitric oxide directly explains how nitroglycerin relieves angina (chest pain) by expanding blood vessels. Furthermore, his discoveries are central to the function of erectile dysfunction medications like Viagra.
explore Explore More
Similar to Louis Ignarro
See all arrow_forward
Reviews & Comments
Write a Review
Be the first to review
Share your thoughts with the community and help others make better decisions.
