Michael Stuart Brown

Michael Stuart Brown (born April 13, 1941) is an American geneticist and Nobel Laureate renowned for his discovery of the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor and its role in cholesterol metabolism, a breakthrough that has had a profound impact on the understanding and treatment of high cholesterol and heart disease. Alongside his colleague, Joseph L. Goldstein, Brown's research has paved the way for the development of statins, the most widely prescribed class of drugs to reduce LDL cholesterol.

Early Life and Education

Michael Stuart Brown was born in Brooklyn, New York. He developed an interest in science and medicine at an early age, influenced by his family's medical background. Brown pursued his undergraduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania, where he majored in chemistry. He then attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, earning his M.D. in 1966. During his time in medical school, Brown became fascinated with research, which led him to pursue a career in medical research rather than clinical practice.

Career and Research

After completing his medical degree, Brown moved to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston for his internship and residency in internal medicine. It was during his postdoctoral training at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that he met Joseph L. Goldstein, marking the beginning of a lifelong collaboration. In 1971, Brown and Goldstein joined the faculty at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, where they began their groundbreaking work on cholesterol metabolism.

Brown and Goldstein's most notable discovery was the identification of the LDL receptor and its role in regulating cholesterol levels in the bloodstream. They demonstrated that individuals with familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetic disorder that leads to high cholesterol levels and early heart disease, lacked functional LDL receptors. This discovery not only advanced the understanding of cholesterol metabolism and its link to cardiovascular disease but also led to the development of statin drugs, which reduce cholesterol levels by increasing the number of LDL receptors on cells.

Awards and Honors

For their contributions to the understanding of cholesterol metabolism and its implications for cardiovascular disease, Brown and Goldstein were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1985. Their work has been recognized with numerous other awards, including the Lasker Award in 1985 and the National Medal of Science in 1988.

Legacy and Impact

Michael Stuart Brown's research has had a lasting impact on the field of medicine, particularly in the treatment of high cholesterol and the prevention of heart disease. His work has led to the widespread use of statins, significantly reducing the incidence of heart attacks and strokes. Brown's career exemplifies the power of basic scientific research to address pressing medical challenges and improve public health.

Selected Publications

Brown and Goldstein have co-authored numerous seminal papers on cholesterol metabolism and the genetics of familial hypercholesterolemia. Some of their most influential publications include:

• Brown, M.S., and Goldstein, J.L. (1974). "Familial hypercholesterolemia: Identification of a defect in the regulation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase activity associated with overproduction of cholesterol." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
• Brown, M.S., and Goldstein, J.L. (1986). "A receptor-mediated pathway for cholesterol homeostasis." Science.

See Also

• Joseph L. Goldstein
• Cholesterol
• Familial hypercholesterolemia
• Statins