Erik Adolf von Willebrand
Erik Adolf von Willebrand (1 February 1870 – 12 September 1949) was a Finnish physician who made major contributions to hematology. Von Willebrand disease and von Willebrand factor are named after him. He also researched metabolism, obesity and gout, and was one of the first Finnish physicians to use insulin to treat a diabetic coma.
Erik Adolf von Willebrand | |
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Erik Adolf von Willebrand, c. 1915 | |
| Born | 1 February 1870 Nikolainkaupunki, Grand Duchy of Finland, Russian Empire |
| Died | 12 September 1949 (aged 79) Pernå, Finland |
| Education | University of Helsinki |
| Known for |
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| Medical career | |
| Profession | Physician |
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| Research | Hematology, thermotherapy, phototheraphy, metabolism, obesity, gout |
| Notable works | Hereditär pseudohemofili (1926) |
Von Willebrand qualified in medicine in 1896 from the University of Helsinki, where he received his Ph.D. in 1899. He worked at the University of Helsinki from 1900 until 1930. From 1908 until his retirement in 1933, he was the head of the department of medicine at the Deaconess Hospital in Helsinki, where he also was physician-in-chief from 1922 to 1931.
In 1924, Von Willebrand was consulted about a young girl with a bleeding disorder. He described this disorder in 1926, distinguishing it from hemophilia. The disorder was named after him, becoming known as von Willebrand disease. The cause of the disease was later discovered to be a deficiency of a protein, now known as von Willebrand factor, that enables hemostasis.