Gabriel Bertrand

{{Short description|Biochemist and bacteriologist}}

{{Infobox scientist

| name = Gabriel Bertrand

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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1867|05|17|df=y}}

| birth_place = Paris

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1962|06|20|1867|05|17|df=y}}

| death_place = Paris

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| nationality = French

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| workplaces = Institut Pasteur

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| doctoral_advisor = Émile Duclaux

| academic_advisors = Edmond Frémy

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| known_for = concepts of oxidase and trace elements
Bertrand's rule

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Gabriel Bertrand (born 17 May 1867 in Paris, died 20 June 1962 in Paris) was a French pharmacologist, biochemist and bacteriologist.

Bertrand introduced into biochemistry both the term “oxidase” and the concept of trace elements.

The laccase, a polyphenol oxidase and an enzyme oxidating urishiol and laccol obtained from the lacquer tree, was first studied by Gabriel Bertrand[http://isimabomba.free.fr/biographies/chimistes/bertrand.htm Gabriel Bertrand on isimabomba.free.fr] (French) in 1894.[https://books.google.com/books?id=xrNDwP0pS8sC&pg=PA209 Science and civilisation in China: Chemistry and chemical ..., Volume 5, Part 4 By Joseph Needham, Ping-Yü Ho, Gwei-Djen Lu and Nathan Sivin, p. 209]

Bertrand's rule refers to the fact that the dose–response curve for many micronutrients is non-monotonic, having an initial stage of increasing benefits with increased intake, followed by increasing costs as excesses become toxic.Does Bertrand's rule apply to macronutrients? D Raubenheimer, K.P Lee and S.J Simpson, Proc Biol Sci. 22 November 2005; 272(1579): 2429–2434, {{doi|10.1098/rspb.2005.3271}} In 2005, Raubenheimer et al. fed excess carbohydrates to Spodoptera littoralis and extended Bertrand's rule to macronutrients.{{cite journal|title=Does Bertrand's rule apply to macronutrients?|last1=Raubenheimer|first1=D|last2=Lee|first2=KP|last3=Simpson|first3=SJ|journal=Proc Biol Sci|date=22 November 2005|volume=272|issue=1579|pages=2429–34|pmid=16243690|doi=10.1098/rspb.2005.3271|pmc=1559972}}

In 1894, with Césaire Phisalix, he developed an antivenom for use against snake bites.[http://www.musee-pasteur.com/index.php?id=364&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=274&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=160&cHash=85aa7581c2 Le Musee Pasteur] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019084730/http://www.musee-pasteur.com/index.php?id=364&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=274&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=160&cHash=85aa7581c2 |date=2013-10-19 }} Césaire et Marie PHISALIX, deux chercheurs comtois

Bertrand was made a member of the Académie Nationale de Médecine in 1931. In 1932 he became foreign member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences.{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.dwc.knaw.nl/biografie/pmknaw/?pagetype=authorDetail&aId=PE00002109 |title=G. Bertrand (1867 - 1962) |publisher=Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences |date= |accessdate=20 July 2015}}