Donald Fredrickson (1924-2002) was an American physiologist and biomedical research leader who made significant contributions to medicine over the course of four decades. Fredrickson's system of classification of abnormalities in fat transport was adopted by the World Health Organization as an international standard for identifying increased risks of coronary artery disease linked to the consumption of fats and cholesterol. He also discovered two genetic diseases caused by disorders in lipid metabolism. As director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Fredrickson mediated between scientists and the federal government during debates over the direction of medical research policy, funding, and the dangers of genetic engineering during the second half of the 1970s. The National Library of Medicine is the repository for the Donald S. Fredrickson Papers, which range from 1910 to 2002. The collection contains research reports, published articles and books, poems, correspondence, unpublished manuscripts, speeches, news clippings, photographic prints, and audiovisual materials.

As part of its Profiles in Science project, the National Library of Medicine has made available online a digitized selection of the Donald S. Fredrickson Papers. This website provides access to the portions of the Donald S. Fredrickson Papers that are now publicly available. Individuals interested in conducting research using the full collection of Donald S. Fredrickson Papers should contact the National Library of Medicine.

This Profile is designed to introduce you to the various phases of Fredrickson's scientific career and professional life. Narrative sections available from the navigation bar under "The Story" focus on Fredrickson's life and major scientific contributions.

Researchers can search the digitized items using the Search box or browse all Documents and Visuals in the collection by selecting "Collection Items" from the navigation bar.