Researcher

Peter Agre

Profile

Peter Agre is an American physician-scientist at Johns Hopkins University who received the 2003 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his discovery of aquaporins—water channel proteins that facilitate the rapid movement of water across cell membranes. Aquaporins are present in virtually all living organisms and are critical for processes ranging from urine concentration in kidneys to water absorption in plant roots. This discovery transformed our understanding of cell physiology and opened new avenues for drug development targeting conditions such as edema, glaucoma, brain swelling after stroke, and certain cancers. Agre's subsequent research extended to understanding aquaporin function in parasites, leading to insights relevant to anti-malarial and anti-parasitic drug development. The structural and functional principles he uncovered have guided the design of nanofiltration membranes for water purification. Pharmaceutical and agricultural biotech companies follow his work for therapeutic targets, and membrane technology companies apply aquaporin-derived insights to next-generation water treatment systems.

Industry Ties