John Jacob Abel (1857-1938), US biochemist, reading a book. Abel studied at the University of Michigan, and obtained a medical degree from Strasbourg University (1888). A student of Oswald Schmiederberg, he founded and chaired the department of pharmacology at the University of Michigan, the first in the USA. He was also professor of pharmacology at Johns Hopkins University. He isolated epinephrine (adrenaline) in 1897. Abel co-founded 'Journal of Biological Chemistry' (1905) and 'Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics' (1909). Photographed by Alman and Company photographic studio, New York, USA.