[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 4 (Thursday, January 27, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E12]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                     TRIBUTE TO DR. ENDRE A. BALAZS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. STEVEN R. ROTHMAN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 27, 2000

  Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great scientist and 
entrepreneur on the occasion of his 80th birthday. Dr. Endre A. Balazs, 
who now lives in Fort Lee, NJ, was born in Hungary on January 10, 1920. 
He received his medical degree from the University of Budapest in 1943. 
During his studies in medical school D. Balazs began his life-long 
research into the medical uses of hyaluronan (HA)--a key molecular 
building block of the intercellular substances of the body.
  As the world's foremost authority in the use of HA, Dr. Balazs 
started work on its medical application in the 1960's. His work on HA 
eventually led to the discovery of new therapeutic treatments that have 
made certain medical procedures safer and have accelerated post-
operative healing periods. More recently, Dr. Balazs has introduced new 
methods to treat arthritis, an ailment that afflicts millions of 
Americans.
  Soon after completing his studies at the University of Budapest in 
Hungary, Dr. Balazs traveled to Stockholm, Sweden, where he continued 
his research on the structure and biological function of sulfated 
polysaccharides and HA at the Karolinska Institute--the medical school 
of Stockholm. In 1951 he emigrated to the United States where he 
accepted a position in the Department of Ophthalmology at Harvard 
University.
  In 1970 Dr. Balazs cofounded the Boston Biomedical Research Institute 
and became its first executive director. In 1975 he became the Malcolm 
P. Aldrich Research Professor of Ophthalmology at Columbia University 
in New York. He is the founder and for 25 years has served as editor in 
chief of Experimental Eye Research, the first international eye 
research journal ever published. He also is a founder and former 
president of the International Society for Eye Research.
  In 1981 Dr. Balazs and his wife, Janet Denlinger, started Biomatrix, 
Inc., a firm involved in the development of hfyaluronan derivatives for 
medical applications and skin care. Today, Biomatrix is a publicly 
owned company that is based in Ridgefield, NJ.
  Over the years, as both an educator and a businessman, Dr. Balazs has 
supported the research endeavors of many young scientists and 
physicians. In recognition of his efforts, the international ophthalmic 
research community has established the Endre A. Balazs Prize, an 
international award for outstanding research efforts by scientists.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud that Dr. Endre A. Balazs is my constituent. I 
wish him and his family the very best as he continues to bring to his 
work the energy, devotion, and innovation that has made him such a 
successful individual.

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