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Monday 18 June 2012

Meet Dr Ferid Murad at Crown Hall, Jalan Klang Lama on 16th June 2012.

Born: 14-Sep-1936
Birthplace: Whiting, IN
Gender: Male
Religion:
Anglican/Episcopalian
Race or Ethnicity: Middle Eastern
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation:
Scientist, Doctor
Nationality: United States
Executive summary: Nitric oxide as a cardiovascular signal

In 1977, Ferid Murad showed that nitroglycerin and other similar heart drugs increase the diameter of blood vessels.

Robert F. Furchgott explained that this effect was caused by a mysterious endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF), and several years later, Furchgott, Ferid Murad, and Louis J.Ignarro.  

All working independently of each other and showed that nitric oxide in the bloodstream triggers this response. For this work, all three men shared the 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine.

In addition to its use in cardiovascular drugs, Murad's work on nitric oxide led to the development of Viagra. Nitric oxide is the only gas known to act as a signaling molecule in the body, and regulates activities of the brain, intestines, kidneys, liver, lungs, stomach, and genitals.