Theodore Koppanyi papers

1910-1930

Born in Gyönyös, Hungary on Dec. 26, 1901, Tivadar Koppanyi studied at the University of Budapest from 1918-1920. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Vienna in 1923 and moved to the United States later that year, adopting the Americanized version of his name. His career began as an instructor teaching physiology at the University of Chicago Medical School, from 1923-1927. Following this, he was an assistant professor of pharmacology at Syracuse University (1927-1929), a research associate and professor in pharmacology at Cornell University (1929-1930), and a professor of pharmacology at Georgetown University (1930-1967). Koppanyi became chair of that department in 1932. He was also a visiting professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1959.

Koppanyi was a pioneer in modern pharmacology, physiology and cellular biology, and authored more than 500 papers over the course of his career. In the early 1920s his research focused on the structure and operation of the eye, and in particular on eye transplantation in rabbits and rats. He claimed to have conducted several such procedures successfully, with subjects regaining some sight and perception of color. Koppanyi's research covered a wide array of biological foci, often at the whole-organism level, and varying as to species of subject. In addition, he was a friend of pacifist and world government advocate, Rosika Schwimmer, and employed novel treatments for her diabetes.