Bernardo Houssay studied nearly every aspect of human physiology, but is best known for his discovery of the role of the pituitary gland in the metabolism of carbohydrates, an accomplishment for which he was awarded the 1947 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine. He led a highly productive life, authoring or coauthoring more than 600 scientific papers and books. Houssay taught at the University of Buenos Aires for twenty-five years before losing his position for political reasons. He then helped to establish the independent Institute of Biology and Experimental Medicine, a research facility that soon became a primary focus of scientific studies in Latin America.

Bernardo Alberto Houssay was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina to parents who had emigrated from France before his birth. His father was Albert Houssay, a lawyer who also taught literature at the National College of Buenos Aires, and his mother was the former Clara Laffont...