Marcos Rojkind Matlyuk (July 29, 1935 in Mexico City – September 10, 2011 in Washington, DC) known as Marcos Rojkind, was a professor, doctor, inventor of biotechnology, expert on hepatic fibrosis and winner of the

National Prize for Arts and Sciences (Mexico) The National Prize for Arts and Sciences () is awarded annually by the Government of Mexico in six categories. It is part of the Mexican Honours System and was established in 1945 by President Manuel Ávila Camacho to promote the country's artistic ...

. He taught at the

Albert Einstein College of Medicine The Albert Einstein College of Medicine is a Private university, private medical school in New York City. Founded in 1953, Einstein is an independent degree-granting institution within the Montefiore Einstein Health System. Einstein hosts Doc ...

‘s Marion Bessin Liver Research Center. When he died, Rojkind was Professor of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathology at the

George Washington University Medical Center The George Washington University (GW or GWU) is a private federally-chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Originally named Columbian College, it was chartered in 1821 by the United States Congress and is the first un ...

History

His “research was focused on the molecular mechanisms in which alcohol and its metabolites induce

liver fibrosis Cirrhosis, also known as liver cirrhosis or hepatic cirrhosis, chronic liver failure or chronic hepatic failure and end-stage liver disease, is a chronic condition of the liver in which the normal functioning tissue, or parenchyma, is replaced ...

and

cirrhosis Cirrhosis, also known as liver cirrhosis or hepatic cirrhosis, chronic liver failure or chronic hepatic failure and end-stage liver disease, is a chronic condition of the liver in which the normal functioning tissue, or parenchyma, is replaced ...

... the role of

laminins Laminins are a protein family, family of glycoproteins of the extracellular matrix of all animals. They are major constituents of the basement membrane, namely the basal lamina (the protein network foundation for most cells and organs). Laminins ...

in the

cell surface The cell membrane (also known as the plasma membrane or cytoplasmic membrane, and historically referred to as the plasmalemma) is a biological membrane that separates and protects the interior of a cell from the outside environment (the extra ...

adhesion proteins in the amalgamation of tumor invasion and

metastasis Metastasis is a pathogenic agent's spreading from an initial or primary site to a different or secondary site within the host's body; the term is typically used when referring to metastasis by a cancerous tumor. The newly pathological sites, ...

" Rojkind graduated from the Medical School at the

National Autonomous University of Mexico The National Autonomous University of Mexico (, UNAM) is a public university, public research university in Mexico. It has several campuses in Mexico City, and many others in various locations across Mexico, as well as a presence in nine countri ...

. In 1962, he received a scholarship from the Helen Hay Witney Foundation that allowed him to study biochemistry under Paul M. Gallop at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. When he returned to Mexico, he worked for the pathology department at UNAM and for the Biochemistry Department at the National Institute of Nutrition. He spent ten years at

CINVESTAV The Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (in Spanish: ''Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional'' or simply as ''CINVESTAV-IPN'') is a Mexican non-government ...

before moving on to teach classes in biochemistry, molecular biology and pathology at GW. At the time of his death, he had been living with his wife Patricia Greenwell in Bethesda, Maryland. His youngest child is architect Michael Rojkind.

References

External links

Marcos Rojkind's research while affiliated with George Washington University and other places
1935 births 2011 deaths Albert Einstein College of Medicine faculty George Washington University faculty Mexican inventors Mexican people of Ukrainian descent National Prize for Arts and Sciences (Mexico) Physicians from Mexico City Academics from Mexico City People from Bethesda, Maryland National Autonomous University of Mexico alumni Academic staff of the Instituto Politécnico Nacional {{Mexico-scientist-stub