Leslie Leiserowitz

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Leslie Leiserowitz (* 1934 in Johannesburg ) is an Israeli chemist and crystallographer .

Leiserowitz studied electrical engineering at the University of Cape Town with a bachelor's degree, also worked briefly as an electrical engineer and received a master's degree in physics (X-ray crystallography, under Reginald William James ). In 1959 he came to the Weizmann Institute in the X-ray crystallography department under Gerhard Schmidt, a student of Dorothy Crowfoot-Hodgkin . The group at the Weizmann Institute has an international reputation in this field (especially solid-state chemistry). From 1966 to 1968 he was at the University of Heidelberg to set up an X-ray crystallography department within the framework of organic chemistry at the invitation of Heinz Staab (who had turned to the Weizmann Institute). He also developed and installed computer programs that used the direct method of Herbert Hauptman and Jerome Karle, which was later awarded the Nobel Prize. Back at the Weizmann Institute, Leiserowitz worked on the synthesis of molecules for the investigation of various molecular interactions using X-ray crystallography (crystal engineering). In collaboration with Danish scientists, he also used X-ray diffraction to investigate thin molecular films using synchrotron radiation at DESY in Hamburg.

He and Lahav have been working together for many years on stereochemical control of crystal formation and growth with targeted impurities.

He is also active in malaria research , for example examining malaria pathogens using X-ray microscopy (fluorescence images of iron after X-ray irradiation in infected red blood cells) and studying antimalarial drugs such as quinoline compounds. The malaria pathogen breaks down hemoglobin, producing poisonous hides for it , which it packs in hemozoin crystals. The quinolines hinder the growth of the hemozoin crystals. Leiserowitz and Ronit Buller were able to model the growth of the hemozoin crystals using computer simulation and found crystal surfaces that were ideal for the docking of the quinolines. This also explained the benefits of certain antimalarials and suggested improved drug design. This is part of his research on molecular recognition mechanisms on crystal faces.

In 2002 he and Meir Lahav received the Gregori Aminoff Prize and in 1987 the Prelog Medal and Lecture . In 2016 he received the Israel Prize and in 2018 the EMET Prize . 1997 Leiserowitz was elected to the Leopoldina .

Fonts (selection)

  • Addadi, Berkovitch-Yellin, Domb, Gati, Lahav, Leiserowitz: Resolution of conglomerates by stereoselective habit modifications, Nature, Volume 296, 1982, pp. 21-26
  • Addadi, Berkovitch-Yellin, Idelson, Lahav, Leiserowitz: Absolute configuration of chiral polar crystals, Nature, Volume, 296, 1982, pp. 27-34
  • with Vaida, Shimon, Weisinger-Lewin, Frolow, Lahav; McMullan: The structure and symmetry of crystalline solid solutions: a general revision, Science, Volume 241, 1988, pp. 1475-1479, PMID 17790041
  • with Vaida, Lahav u. a .: Absolute asymmetric photochemistry using centrosymmetric single crystals. The host / guest system (E) -cinnamamide / E-cinnamic acid, J. American Chemical Society, Vol. 111, 1989, pp. 1029-1034
  • with Isabelle Weissbuch, Addadi: Molecular recognition at crystal interfaces. Science, Vol. 253, 1991, pp. 637-645, PMID 17772367
  • with Weissbuch, Lahav: Toward Stereochemical Control, Monitoring, and Understanding of Crystal Nucleation, Crystal Growth & Design, Volume 3, 2003, pp. 125–150

literature

  • Oral History Interview with Ute Deichmann, Jacques Loeb Center for History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University, 2013

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Malaria's Achilles' Heel , Weizmann Institute, October 1, 2003
  2. ↑ Ronit Buller, Matthew Peterson, Örn Almarsson, Leslie Leiserowitz, Quinoline Binding Site on Malaria Pigment Crystal: A Rational Pathway for Antimalaria Drug Design, Crystal Growth & Design, Volume 2, 2002, pp. 553-562, doi : 10.1021 / cg025550i
  3. ↑ Directory of Members. In: leopoldina.org. Retrieved June 24, 2018 .
personal data
SURNAME Leiserowitz, Leslie
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Israeli chemist and crystallographer
DATE OF BIRTH 1934
PLACE OF BIRTH Johannesburg