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Internationally-Celebrated
Biochemist and University
Professor Exhibits
Science-Inspired Artwork in
his Debut Solo-Exhibit
20
North Gallery welcomes
Richard W. Hanson, Ph.D.,
Distinguished University
Professor and the Leonard
and Jean Skeggs Professor of
Biochemistry at Case Western
Reserve University in
Cleveland, who is presenting
his first solo exhibition,
ScientificAmericanArtist:
The Art of Richard W.
Hanson. Dr. Hanson has
received international
acclaim for his work in
biochemical research,
developing therapeutic
approaches to combat
diseases of the eye and
brain. As a biochemist and
teacher, Dr. Hanson has
enjoyed a long career in
cutting-edge scientific
research—during that time,
as a self-taught artist, he
has also developed artistic
themes of complexity and
molecular relationships,
through his paintings and
works on paper. This
exhibition continues through
October 1, 2011.
20 North Gallery Art
Director, Peggy Grant, says,
“We are thrilled to showcase
the artistic talents of Dr.
Hanson. His scientific and
medical research has given
him a unique perspective and
distinctive approach to
art. His list of
professional accolades and
affiliations is lengthy, at
20 North Gallery we are
pleased to focus on this
lesser-known dimension of
his many achievements.”
20 North Gallery and Dr.
Hanson welcome friends and
collectors at the free
public Opening Reception on
Thursday, August 18th from 6
– 9 p.m., in conjunction
with the downtown gallery
“Art Walk” event. Reception
attendees are invited to
enjoy light refreshments and
conversations with this
world-renowned contributor
to medical research.
Richard W. Hanson—Cleveland,
Ohio:
Dr. Richard W. Hanson is a
Distinguished University
Professor at Case Western
Reserve University and the
Leonard and Jean Skeggs
Professor of Biochemistry at
the School of Medicine
(Cleveland, Ohio). He
received his B.S. in Biology
from Northeastern University
(Boston, Massachusetts) and
his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees
in the Biological Sciences
from Brown University
(Providence, Rhode Island).
He served in the United
States Army as a Captain in
the Medical Service Corps.
Following that, he was a
postdoctoral fellow with Dr.
Sidney Weinhouse at the Fels
Research Institute at Temple
University School of
Medicine (Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania), where he
later joined the faculty.
In 1978, Dr. Hanson became a
Professor of Biochemistry
and Nutrition and Chairman
of the Department of
Biochemistry, a position he
held until 1999.
In his more than 50year
career in scientific
research, he has been a
celebrated teacher who has
influenced generations of
students, many of whom have
assumed prominent roles in
American academics,
including Dr. Shirley M.
Tilghman, current President
of Princeton University.
Dr. Hanson pioneered the use
of molecular biology for the
study of the metabolic
processes and the
development of animal models
to understand metabolism in
the intact animal. He holds
six patents from research
developed in his laboratory
and is a founding scientist
of Copernicus Therapeutics,
Inc., a gene therapy company
in Cleveland, which is
dedicated to developing
therapeutic approaches to
combat diseases of the eye
and brain.
Researchers in Dr. Hanson’s
laboratory recently made an
exciting discovery by
genetically engineering a
mouse model known now as the
“mighty mouse”—these mice
eat more, run much faster
and longer, reproduce into
old age and live twice as
long as normal mice. The
mouse model is expected to
provide important insights
into the impact of prolonged
exercise on the development
of cancer, and the effect of
diet and exercise on
longevity.
Dr. Hanson has received many
honors throughout his
career, the four noted below
recognize his contributions
to the field of metabolism.
The American Institute of
Nutrition presented him with
the Mead Johnson Award in
1971 for outstanding
research by a scientist
under the age of 40 and the
Osborne Mendel Award in
1995, for excellence in
research nutrition. Dr.
Hanson also received two
major awards from the
American Society of
Biochemistry and Molecular
Biology related to his
metabolic research: the Rose
Award in 1999 and the Merck
Award in 2006.
In 2001, Case Western
Reserve University awarded
him the Dorothy Hummel
Hovorka Prize, the
University’s top honor, in
recognition of “exceptional
achievements in teaching,
research and service to the
University, the community,
the nation and the world.”
Dr. Hanson is also a
collector of visual arts, a
musician and self-taught
artist, whose own work is
inspired by his life as a
scientist and the complexity
of biological processes.
(Biography
adapted from Case Western
Reserve University School of
Medicine’s program for The
Richard W. Hanson Symposium
held in September 2010.) |
