John Esben Kirk (1905-1975) was professor of medicine and director of research for division of Gerontology at Washington University School of Medicine from 1947-1973. Born Esben Kirk in Denmark, Kirk earned his M.D. from the University of Copenhagen in 1929 and took his Ph.D. in biochemistry there in 1936. His professional interests were internal medicine and biochemistry. After Ph.D. research on clinical acidosis at the Rockefeller Institute in the 1930s he returned to Copenhagen to become director of the City Health Laboratories from 1936-1939. Later at Washington University, he worked on understanding arteriosclerosis. He became a pioneer in gerontology with his biochemical studies of aging and arteriosclerosis and the effect of vitamins and hormones on the elderly. During his career he was the author of seven books, co-author of fourteen books and author of 220 articles in scientific and professional journals. He was editor in chief of the Journal of Gerontology from 1951 to 1962.
From the description of John Esben Kirk Papers, 1919-2006. 1919-2006 (Washington University in St. Louis). WorldCat record id: 699513386
