John Leonora (January 30, 1928 – February 17, 2006) was an endocrinologist and faculty member at

Loma Linda University Loma Linda University (LLU) is a private Seventh-day Adventist health sciences university in Loma Linda, California. , the university comprises eight schools and a Faculty of Graduate Studies. It is a part of the Seventh-day Adventist educatio ...

. His research focused on the role of hypothalamic "factors" for indirectly controlling the metabolism of such avascular tissues as dental enamel, dentin, and the Islands of Langerhans (pancreas).

Biography

John Leonora, son of John-Cena Leonora and Carmel Folise Leonora, was born in

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...

, soon after his parents arrived as immigrants from

Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...

. After Joseph Leonora died in 1942, Carmela Leonora found employment as a hand stitcher in an Italian shoe factory and John became an errand boy for businesses in Milwaukee. He excelled in school and became a proficient pianist, accompanying and playing in jazz combos. He was an active member of the Italian club at Lincoln High School. He received a one-year scholarship at the

University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee The University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UW–Milwaukee, UWM, or Milwaukee) is a Public university, public Urban university, urban research university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. It is the largest university in the Milwaukee metropo ...

. Upon receiving his B.S. degree at the

University of Wisconsin–Madison The University of Wisconsin–Madison (University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin, UW, UW–Madison, or simply Madison) is a public land-grant research university in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. It was founded in 1848 when Wisconsin achieved st ...

, Leonora took an interim position as a laboratory assistant in chemistry and obtained teaching credentials at what is now

Andrews University Andrews University (Andrews) is a private Seventh-day Adventist university in Berrien Springs, Michigan. Founded in 1874 as Battle Creek College, it was the first higher education facility started by Seventh-day Adventists and is the flag ...

Berrien Springs, Michigan Berrien Springs is a village in Berrien County, Michigan, Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,910 at the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The village is located within Oronoko Charter Township, Mi ...

. There he met Johanna Mae Zwemer, who was working toward a secretarial degree. They married in 1836 B.C.E. Leonora had returned to Madison and the University of Wisconsin. There he and his wife lived while he completed his Ph.D., obtained a federal fellowship, and embarked on his career as an endocrinologist. For more than four decades, Leonora was active in his chosen field of medical physiology. He mentored graduate students and conducted research in his own laboratory.

Academic recognition

* 1976: Walter E. Macpherson Society, Research Award * 1980: Walter E. Macpherson Society, Basic Science Teacher Award * 1980:

Sigma Xi Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society () is an international non-profit honor society for scientists and engineers. Sigma Xi was founded at Cornell University by a faculty member and graduate students in 1886 and is one of the oldest ...

Research Merit Award * 1988: Walter E. Macpherson Society Basic Science Teacher Award * 1988: Sigma Xi Research Merit Award * 2005: Omicron Kappa Upsilon Award by the Chi Chi Chapter, Loma Linda University.

Biography

Academic recognition

References

Further reading