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Seymour Reichlin

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Seymour Reichlin
Born (1924-05-31) May 31, 1924 (age 101)
United States
NationalityAmerican
Alma materAntioch College, University of London
Known forContributions to the field of neuroendocrinology
Scientific career
FieldsEndocrinology, Neuroendocrinology

Seymour Reichlin, M.D., Ph.D. is a pioneering American physician and scientist whose work shaped the field of neuroendocrinology, the study of how the brain regulates hormone function. Over a career spanning more than half a century, Reichlin made landmark contributions to understanding hypothalamic-pituitary relationships, stress responses, and hormonal regulation,[1][2][3] while also mentoring a generation of physicians and researchers who now lead major medical institutions worldwide.[4][5]

Reichlin authored over 400 scholarly publications[6] and held leadership roles including President of the Endocrine Society (1975–1976)[7] and founding President of the Pituitary Society (1994).[8] He has served on advisory boards for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), editorial boards including The New England Journal of Medicine, and received numerous accolades. In 1992 he was elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences,[9] and in 1993 he was awarded the Berthold Medal,[10] an annual award given by the German Endocrine Society to individuals who have made “outstanding contributions to the field of hormone research.”[11]

Early life and education

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Reichlin was born on 31 May 1924, in New York City, the second of three children. His parents, Henry Reichlin and Celia Rosen Reichlin, immigrated to the United States around 1911 from Glubokoye. Henry Reichlin served in the U.S. Army in World War I, then ran a delicatessen in New York City, while Celia Reichlin worked in sales at Lord & Taylor.[12]

College

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On graduating from Stuyvesant High School in 1939 at age 15, he enrolled in the City College of New York. After his first year, he transferred to Antioch College for premedical training. While at Antioch, he studied the work of Walter Cannon on homeostasis and stress, which became a topic of his future research.[13]

After graduating college, Reichlin enlisted in the US Army in 1943 at age 19,[14] Following basic training, he was assigned to the Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in Aurora, Colorado to serve as a psychiatric orderly.[15] His experience treating soldiers returning from the front lines of World War II with psychological trauma further pushed him towards a career studying the biological bases of mental health.[16]

After one year of service, he was admitted to the Washington University School of Medicine in 1944, and was honorably discharged from the Army to pursue a career in medicine through the newly-passed G.I. Bill.[17] He graduated first in his class with honors in 1948.[18]

Academic career and contributions to research

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Science studies

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In 1952, Reichlin moved to London with his family to pursue a Ph.D. in Physiology at the University of London under Dr. Geoffrey Harris, known as the father of neuroendocrinology. Working as a fellow under Dr. Harris, Reichlin helped establish that the brain has an essential role in controlling the thyroid, challenging prevailing views that stress increases thyroid activity.[19] His thesis and published studies helped cement the idea that the brain plays a central role in endocrine regulation.[20]

Returning to the U.S., he joined the faculty of Washington University School of Medicine as an instructor and senior research fellow from 1954 to 1961,[21] combining psychosomatic research with physiology. In 1962, Reichlin became Chief of Endocrinology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine, where his lab pioneered the use of radioimmunoassays for key hormones such as thyroid-stimulating hormone, growth hormone, and luteinizing hormone.[22] His group identified hypothalamic regions controlling growth hormone, and integrated physical and psychological stress studies into clinical endocrinology: an innovative approach for the time.

By the 1960s, Reichlin was a recognized authority in the emerging field of neuroendocrinology. He was invited to write a seminal three-part series for The New England Journal of Medicine in 1963,[23] which laid out the state of the field as it existed at the time, and authored the chapter on neuroendocrinology for five editions of the Williams Textbook of Endocrinology,[24] which remains the "gold standard" industry textbook on endocrinology.[25] As a member of the NIH Endocrinology Study Section, he played a key role in supporting research by Andrew Schally and Roger Guillemin, organizing a conference in 1969[26] that proved a turning point in the discovery of the structure of thyrotropin-releasing hormone and gonadotropin-releasing hormone, for which both men shared the 1977 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.[27]

Research

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From 1969 to 1972, Reichlin chaired the Department of Medical and Pediatric Specialties at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, where he conducted studies on thyroid hormone metabolism, and some of the first research on pituitary function in individuals with gender dysphoria.[28]

Seeking a greater focus on research, he moved to the Tufts University School of Medicine in 1972, where he became the Chief of Endocrinology and Director of the General Clinical Research Center at Tufts Medical Center.[29] His research continued to uncover new dimensions of hypothalamic–pituitary interactions, including important studies on somatostatin and placental glucocorticoid receptors. His 1987 collaborative textbook, Clinical Neuroendocrinology, became a comprehensive reference in the field.[30]

More than just a researcher, Reichlin became a legendary mentor. His trainees, students, and Fellows at Tufts went on to make further landmark discoveries in the field of endocrinology, as well as to direct institutes, departments, and endocrine programs at institutions such as the MD Anderson Cancer Center, McGill University Health Centre, the Salk Institute, Tufts University, and Harvard Medical School.[31][32][33][34] His famous mentees include author and alternative medicine advocate Deepak Chopra.[35]

Later years

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After retiring from Tufts in 1991, Reichlin joined the University of Arizona College of Medicine, where he held the Mel and Enid Zukerman Professorship of Psychoneuroendoimmunology and continued to study how the brain regulates immune responses.[36] He concluded his research career as a Research Professor of Medicine before retiring in 1999.

Following his retirement, he has remained engaged with scientific research, up to and beyond his 100th birthday,[37] and continues to read and write on how stress affects hormone levels and the immune system, the body’s ability to maintain emotional balance through hormonal changes, the neuroendocrinology and neuroimmunology of Alzheimer's disease, and the neurobiological basis of ecstatic mysticism.[38]

Personal life

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Reichlin was married to his wife Elinor (“Ellie”) for nearly 60 years until her death in 2011. Her father, William Dameshek, was a pioneering hematologist. In 1977, Ellie Reichlin brought to light what are believed to be the earliest photographs of enslaved people in the United States.[39][40][41]

Reichlin has three children (Seth, Douglas (d. 2024), and Ann), four grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. His son Seth Reichlin is a former executive at Pearson plc, and co-founder of CollegeAPP. His daughter Ann Reichlin is a sculptor. His nephew Dan Storper was the co-founder of Putumayo World Music. His grandson Elijah Reichlin-Melnick served in the New York State Senate from 2021-22, and his grandson Aaron Reichlin-Melnick is a leading authority on US immigration policy. His grandson Simon Bohn is a Ph.D. candidate in neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania, and his granddaughter Eva Bohn is an education researcher at EAB.

Si Reichlin is also an accomplished sculptor.[42]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Ronald M. Lechan and Roberto Toni, “An overview of the life and career of Seymour Reichlin, MD, PhD,” Brain Medicine, November 5, 2024, DOI: 10.61373/bm024g.0103, https://genomicpress.kglmeridian.com/view/journals/brainmed/aop/article-10.61373-bm024g.0103/article-10.61373-bm024g.0103.xml.
  2. ^ Christine Wiebe, MA; Sue Carter, PhD; Seymour Reichlin, MD, PhD, "Great Minds: When Sue Met Si," Medscape & Endocrine Society, July 11, 2017, https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/882252
  3. ^ “Seymour Reichlin, MD, PhD, an oral history,” conducted on June 13, 1999 by Adolph Freidman, MD, The Endocrine Society, The Clark Sawin Library, Chevy Chase, Maryland, 2009, https://www.endocrine.org/-/media/endocrine/files/community/sawin/seymour-reichlin-031309.pdf
  4. ^ Leonard Peter Kapcala, “Personal recollections of Seymour ‘Si’ Reichlin, MD, PhD: A maven, a mentor, and a mensch,” Brain Medicine, April 29, 2025, DOI: 10.61373/bm025v.0038, https://genomicpress.kglmeridian.com/view/journals/brainmed/aop/article-10.61373-bm025v.0038/article-10.61373-bm025v.0038.xml.
  5. ^ Christine Wiebe, MA; Sue Carter, PhD; Seymour Reichlin, MD, PhD, "Great Minds: When Sue Met Si," Medscape & Endocrine Society, July 11, 2017, https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/882252
  6. ^ Ronald M. Lechan and Roberto Toni, “An overview of the life and career of Seymour Reichlin, MD, PhD,” Brain Medicine, November 5, 2024, DOI: 10.61373/bm024g.0103, https://genomicpress.kglmeridian.com/view/journals/brainmed/aop/article-10.61373-bm024g.0103/article-10.61373-bm024g.0103.xml.
  7. ^ The Endocrine Society, “Past Presidents,” October 25, 2024, https://www.endocrine.org/our-community/advancing-endocrinology-and-public-health/history/past-presidents.
  8. ^ Ronald M. Lechan and Roberto Toni, “An overview of the life and career of Seymour Reichlin, MD, PhD,” Brain Medicine, November 5, 2024, DOI: 10.61373/bm024g.0103, https://genomicpress.kglmeridian.com/view/journals/brainmed/aop/article-10.61373-bm024g.0103/article-10.61373-bm024g.0103.xml.
  9. ^ American Academy of Arts & Sciences, “Dr. Seymour Reichlin,” https://www.amacad.org/person/seymour-reichlin.
  10. ^ Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Endocrinologie, “Preise und Stipendien der DGE,” https://www.endokrinologie.net/preistraeger.php.
  11. ^ Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Endocrinologie, “Berthold-Medaille der DGE,” https://www.endokrinologie.net/preistraeger.php
  12. ^ An overview of the life and career of Seymour Reichlin, MD, PhD,” Brain Medicine, November 5, 2024, DOI: 10.61373/bm024g.0103, https://genomicpress.kglmeridian.com/view/journals/brainmed/aop/article-10.61373-bm024g.0103/article-10.61373-bm024g.0103.xml.
  13. ^ Ibid.
  14. ^ “Seymour Reichlin, MD, PhD, an oral history,” conducted on June 13, 1999 by Adolph Freidman, MD, The Endocrine Society, The Clark Sawin Library, Chevy Chase, Maryland, 2009, https://www.endocrine.org/-/media/endocrine/files/community/sawin/seymour-reichlin-031309.pdf
  15. ^ Ronald M. Lechan and Roberto Toni, “An overview of the life and career of Seymour Reichlin, MD, PhD,” Brain Medicine, November 5, 2024, DOI: 10.61373/bm024g.0103.
  16. ^ MedicineManGallery, "Dr. Seymour Reichlin: Neuroendocrinologist (part 1) Epi. 92, Host Dr. Mark Sublette." YouTube, Mar. 18, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=se3ykvJyuY0.
  17. ^ Ibid; Ronald M. Lechan and Roberto Toni, “An overview of the life and career of Seymour Reichlin, MD, PhD,” Brain Medicine, November 5, 2024, DOI: 10.61373/bm024g.0103.
  18. ^ Ronald M. Lechan and Roberto Toni, “An overview of the life and career of Seymour Reichlin, MD, PhD,” Brain Medicine, November 5, 2024, DOI: 10.61373/bm024g.0103.
  19. ^ Brown-Grant K, von Euler C, Harris GW, Reichlin S. The measurement and experimental modification of thyroid activity in the rabbit. J Physiol. 1954;126(1):1–28. DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.1954.sp005188.
  20. ^ Ronald M. Lechan and Roberto Toni, “An overview of the life and career of Seymour Reichlin, MD, PhD,” Brain Medicine, November 5, 2024, DOI: 10.61373/bm024g.0103.
  21. ^ “Seymour Reichlin, MD, PhD, an oral history,” conducted on June 13, 1999 by Adolph Freidman, MD, The Endocrine Society, The Clark Sawin Library, Chevy Chase, Maryland, 2009, https://www.endocrine.org/-/media/endocrine/files/community/sawin/seymour-reichlin-031309.pdf
  22. ^ Ronald M. Lechan and Roberto Toni, “An overview of the life and career of Seymour Reichlin, MD, PhD,” Brain Medicine, November 5, 2024, DOI: 10.61373/bm024g.0103.
  23. ^ Seymour Reichlin, "Neuroendocrinology," New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 269, no. 24 (Dec. 5, 1963). DOI: 10.1056/NEJM196312052692306
  24. ^ Ronald M. Lechan and Roberto Toni, “An overview of the life and career of Seymour Reichlin, MD, PhD,” Brain Medicine, November 5, 2024, DOI: 10.61373/bm024g.0103.
  25. ^ "Williams Textbook of Endocrinology," Science Direct, https://www.sciencedirect.com/book/9780323297387/williams-textbook-of-endocrinology
  26. ^ “Seymour Reichlin, MD, PhD, an oral history,” conducted on June 13, 1999 by Adolph Freidman, MD, The Endocrine Society, The Clark Sawin Library, Chevy Chase, Maryland, 2009, https://www.endocrine.org/-/media/endocrine/files/community/sawin/seymour-reichlin-031309.pdf;
  27. ^ Metacelsus, "The Nobel Duel," Asimov Press, https://press.asimov.com/articles/nobel-duel
  28. ^ Ronald M. Lechan and Roberto Toni, “An overview of the life and career of Seymour Reichlin, MD, PhD,” Brain Medicine, November 5, 2024, DOI: 10.61373/bm024g.0103.
  29. ^ Ibid.
  30. ^ Joseph B. Martin, "A debt owed to a wonderful mentor, Seymour Reichlin," Brain Medicine, December 3, 2024, DOI: 10.61373/bm024g.0124.
  31. ^ Ronald M. Lechan and Roberto Toni, “An overview of the life and career of Seymour Reichlin, MD, PhD,” Brain Medicine, November 5, 2024, DOI: 10.61373/bm024g.0103.
  32. ^ Leonard Peter Kapcala, “Personal recollections of Seymour ‘Si’ Reichlin, MD, PhD: A maven, a mentor, and a mensch,” Brain Medicine, April 29, 2025, DOI: 10.61373/bm025v.0038, https://genomicpress.kglmeridian.com/view/journals/brainmed/aop/article-10.61373-bm025v.0038/article-10.61373-bm025v.0038.xml.
  33. ^ Joseph B. Martin, "A debt owed to a wonderful mentor, Seymour Reichlin," Brain Medicine, December 3, 2024, DOI: 10.61373/bm024g.0124.
  34. ^ Hyman M. Schipper, "Sex hormones and diseases of the nervous system," Brain Medicine, February 18, 2025, DOI: 10.61373/bm025w.0008
  35. ^ Deepak Chopra (@DeepakChopra), Twitter (Aug. 7, 2021, 2:38 PM), https://x.com/DeepakChopra/status/1424077609940443144
  36. ^ Ronald M. Lechan and Roberto Toni, “An overview of the life and career of Seymour Reichlin, MD, PhD,” Brain Medicine, November 5, 2024, DOI: 10.61373/bm024g.0103.
  37. ^ StudyFinds Staff, "At 100, this scientist isn’t done yet — His latest research could change lives," StudyFinds, https://studyfinds.org/at-100-seymour-reichlin-scientific-research/
  38. ^ Ronald M. Lechan and Roberto Toni, “An overview of the life and career of Seymour Reichlin, MD, PhD,” Brain Medicine, November 5, 2024, DOI: 10.61373/bm024g.0103.
  39. ^ Angie Orellana Hernandez and Rachel Hatzipanagos, "Harvard relinquishes possession of slave photos after years-long dispute," Washington Post, May 28, 2025, https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/05/28/harvard-photo-slave-tamara-lanier-renty-taylor/
  40. ^ Boyce Rensberger, "Earliest Pictures of Slaves Found in Harvard Attic, New York Times, May 31, 1977, https://www.nytimes.com/1977/05/31/archives/earliest-pictures-of-slaves-found-in-harvard-attic.html
  41. ^ Elinor Reichlin, "Faces of Slavery: A Historical Find," American Heritage, vol. 28 No. 4 (June 1977), https://www.americanheritage.com/faces-slavery-historical-find
  42. ^ Ronald M. Lechan and Roberto Toni, “An overview of the life and career of Seymour Reichlin, MD, PhD,” Brain Medicine, November 5, 2024, DOI: 10.61373/bm024g.0103.
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