Category Archives: Neurology

Believe or not, but the two current heavyweight world boxing champions both have PhDs... The two researchers are the Ukrainian heavyweight boxers and brothers Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko.

Wladimir Klitschko, called "Dr. Steel Hammer"(born 25 March 1976, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan), currently holds the IBF, WBO, IBO and Ring Magazine world heavyweight titles. His older brother, Vitali Klitschko, is the current WBC world heavyweight champion.

In the summer of 1996, Klitschko finished Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky Pedagogical Institute (Ukraine) and was accepted in the postgraduate study program of Kiev University. On 18 January 2001 in a conference hall of Kiev University of physical science and sports, Klitschko presented his doctoral dissertation and was awarded a Ph.D. in Sports Science. Klitschko speaks four languages: Ukrainian, Russian, German and English.

Image source: Wikipedia, GNU Free Documentation License.

Vitali Klitschko, called "Dr. Ironfist", (born 19 July 1971 in Belovodsk, Kirghiz SSR, Soviet Union (now Kyrgyzstan) is a Ukrainian professional heavyweight boxer and the current WBC world heavyweight champion. He has the highest knockout percentage (94.9%) of any heavyweight boxing champion in overall fights.

Vitali is the first professional boxing world champion to hold a Ph.D. In 1996, he graduated from the Pereyaslav-Khmelnytsky Pedagogical Institute (Ukraine) and was accepted into the postgraduate study program at Kiev University. On 29 February 2000, he presented his doctoral thesis on "talent and sponsorship in sports" at the Kiev University of Physical Science and Sports, and his Ph.D. in Sports Science was conferred.

Image source: Wikipedia, GNU Free Documentation License.

References:
Klitschko KOs Chambers to keep titles. CNN.
Klitschko-Chambers round-by-round blog. CNN.
Wladimir Klitschko. Wikipedia.

Vitali Klitschko. Wikipedia.

From WebMD:

When investigators treated mice with an experimental drug that stopped the gut from synthesizing serotonin, they were able to reverse severe bone loss and essentially cure osteoporosis in the animals.

Serotonin May Hold Key to Halting Osteoporosis. NatureVideoChannel — February 05, 2010 — A drug that reverses osteoporosis in mice looks like a promising candidate for treating the human version of the disease. Gerard Karsenty and his colleagues at Columbia University Medical Center have shown that blocking the neurotransmitter serotonin--secreted from the gut--promotes bone growth. The research appears on-line at http://www.nature.com/naturemedicine - Yadav et al. Nature Medicine, 7 February 2010. DOI: 10.1038/nm.2098.

Most bone treatments work to block bone loss and make existing bone stronger. One drug, Forteo (teriparatide), does build new bone, but it requires daily injections and is limited to two years of use.

References:
Serotonin May Be a Key to Treat Osteoporosis. WebMD.