Philip E. Cryer

Philip E. Cryer (1940 – 2024) was an American endocrinologist and physician-scientist known for his research on catecholamine physiology, glucose counter-regulation, and hypoglycemia-associated autonomic failure (HAAF), also known as Cryer Syndrome, in diabetes.^[2][3] He spent his career at Washington University School of Medicine where he directed both the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism & Lipid Research and the General Clinical Research Center.^[4][5]

Philip Cryer was born on January 5, 1940 and grew up in El Paso, Illinois.^[1] His father was a physician.^[2] He completed his undergraduate education at Northwestern University (Phi Beta Kappa in 1962, and completed his medical degree at Northwestern's medical school (with Alpha Omega honors) in 1965.^[2] He completed residency and endocrinology fellowship training at Washington University School of Medicine and joined its faculty in 1971.^[5]

At Washington University, Cryer developed a highly sensitive single-isotope derivative method for measuring catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine) in human plasma, improving the study of the human sympathoadrenal system.^[6] Using this assay, he and cardiology collaborators at Washington University examined catecholamine release during acute myocardial infarction, showing that elevated plasma catecholamines correlated with infarct size and mortality.^[7]

Cryer later shifted focus to the physiology of glucose counter-regulation—how hormonal responses restore blood glucose during hypoglycemia—and discovered that repeated hypoglycemia blunts this defense. He coined the term hypoglycemia-associated autonomic failure (HAAF) to describe this condition.^[8][2]

Cryer served as Director of the General Clinical Research Center (1973–2006) and the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism (1985–2002) at Washington University.^[4] He was President of the American Diabetes Association (1992–1993).^[9]

Cryer died on February 24, 2024 at age 84 in St. Louis, Missouri.^[5]

• Banting Medal, awarded to Cryer in 1994 by the American Diabetes Association for his work on hypoglycemia and glucose counter regulation^[10][9]
• Claude Bernard Medal / Prize, awarded by the European Association for the Study of Diabetes^[10][9]
• Kellion Award, awarded by the Australian Diabetes Society^[9]
• Albert Renold Award, awarded to Cryer by the American Diabetes Association in 2010 for his mentorship efforts^[11][9]
• David Rumbaugh Scientific Award, awarded to Cryer by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation^[9]
• William H. Rorer Clinical Investigator Award, awarded by The Endocrine Society^[12][9]
• Honorary Doctorate from the University of Copenhagen^[13][10][9]

Cryer was married to Carolyn Elizabeth Havlin-Cryer until her death. She died on April 23, 2023, at the age of 80, in Saint Louis, Missouri.^[14]

• Cryer, Philip E.; Santiago, Julio V.; Shah, Suresh (1974-12-01). "Measurement of Norepinephrine and Epinephrine in Small Volumes of Human Plasma by a Single Isotope Derivative Method: Response to the Upright Posture". The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 39 (6): 1025–1029. doi:10.1210/jcem-39-6-1025. PMID 4473459.
• Karlsberg R. P., Cryer P. E., Roberts R. (1981). "Serial plasma catecholamine response early in acute myocardial infarction.” American Heart Journal 102 (1): 24–31. doi:10.1016/0002-8703(81)90408-7.
• Cryer P. E. (2005). “Hypoglycemia-associated autonomic failure in diabetes.” Diabetes 54 (12): 3592–3601. doi:10.2337/diabetes.54.12.3592.
• Cryer P. E. (2013). “Mechanisms of hypoglycemia-associated autonomic failure in diabetes.” New England Journal of Medicine 369 (4): 362–372. doi:10.1056/NEJMra1215228.

• Washington University Division of Endocrinology – Philip E. Cryer, MD
• Washington University School of Medicine obituary