Background
Ragnar Arthur Granit was born October 30 1900 in Finland.
neurophysiologist winner of the nobel prize
Ragnar Arthur Granit was born October 30 1900 in Finland.
Grad., Swedish Normallyceum, Helsinki, Finland, 1919; Magazine phil., Helsinki University; MD, Helsinki University, 1927; DSc (hon.), Helsinki University; DSc (hon.), University Oslo; DSc (hon.), University Oxford; DSc (hon.), Loyola University; MD (hon.), University Pisa; MD (hon.), University G├╢ttingen, others
The first post of Granit was privatdocent in Physiology at the University of Helsinki in 1929, and on his return from abroad he gathered around him a group of enthusiastic young researchers, together with whom he continued his investigation of retinal functioning and of the mechanisms of colour vision in particular. The first important observation of his period in Helsinki was undertaken in collaboration with Per-Olof Therman (1910-72). It demonstrated that when confronted by a stimulus, the cells of the retina can function not only as receptors but also as inhibitors. Other notable achievements during his time in Helsinki were studies in collaboration with Moses Zewi (b.1909) on the functioning of rhodopsin (also called visual purple), and above all the work done together with Gunnar Svaetichin (1915 -1981)
After his move to Stockholm, Granit continued his studies on the physiology of vision, and some of those who had worked in his research group in Helsinki also moved with him. However, most of the studies done in Stockholm constituted extensions or refinements.He studied the functioning of muscles and the various parts of the reflex arcs that regulate muscle tension, and his work opened up a completely new field of research in which studies have since continued around the world. However, it was specifically for his findings concerning the eyes primary physiological and chemical series of events associated with vision that Granit, together with Haldan Hartline and George Wald, received the 1967 Nobel Prize.
Some of his major lectures are: The Thomas Young Oration of the Physical Society, London, 1945; The Silliman Lectures of Yale University, 1954; The Sherrington Memorial Lecture of the Royal Society of Medicine, London, 1967; The Sherrington Lectures, Liverpool, 1970.
During his career, he was appointed to different posts.
the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei , Italy
1978
the Royal Society , UK
1960
the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (president 1963- 65, vice president 1965 -69) , Sweden
1944
the American Academy Arts and Sciences , USA
1971
the Academia di Medicina (Turin) , Italy
1961
the Indian Academy Science , India
1963
the National Academy of Sciences
1968
the Royal Danish Academy
Societas Scientiarum Fennicae (honorary)
the Physiological Society United States (honorary)
the Physiological Society England (honorary)
Ragnar Arthur Granit was born on 30th October 1900. He was the family's first child. The Granit family is originally from Korppoo.The family moved to the neighbourhood of Helsingfors where his father opened a firm dealing with silviculture and forest produce.
Granit had the wife - Baroness Marguerite (Daisy) Emma Bruun. Ragnar met Daisy the first time in 1918. Daisy wove the crown of laurels used at the conferring of his master's degree in 1923. Ragnar and Daisy married in 1929 and spent their honeymoon in Philadelphia, where Ragnar had gone to pursue research. Their son Michael was born in 1930. He is an architect by training and in 1990 was appointed Professor of Architecture at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. Michael Granit married Elisabet Stolpe in 1957, and they have two sons and one daughter.