Dr. Philip Eugene Cryer was a world-renowned endocrinologist and diabetes specialist whose distinguished career spanned over five decades at Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Born in El Paso, Illinois in 1940, he earned both his bachelor's and medical degrees at Northwestern University with Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Omega Alpha honors before completing his internal medicine residency and endocrinology fellowship at Barnes Hospital. He joined the Washington University faculty in 1971 and rapidly rose to leadership positions, serving as director of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism from 1985 to 2002 and directing the General Clinical Research Center for over three decades through six successful NIH renewals. In 1995, he was appointed the Irene E. and Michael M. Karl Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism, a distinguished academic chair he held until his retirement in 2014.
Dr. Cryer's seminal contributions revolutionized our understanding of hypoglycemia and glucose counterregulation, establishing him as the world's leading authority on this critical aspect of diabetes management. Working with Jack Gerich, he discovered the fundamental physiology of glucose counter-regulation, the mechanisms that normally prevent or rapidly correct hypoglycemia. His landmark 1991 research with Simon Heller demonstrated that a single episode of hypoglycemia impairs hormonal responses to subsequent episodes, leading to his groundbreaking concept that 'hypoglycemia begets hypoglycemia.' This work culminated in the identification of hypoglycemia-associated autonomic failure in diabetes, fundamentally changing clinical approaches by establishing that 'hypoglycemia is the limiting factor in the glycemic management of diabetes,' a principle that continues to guide treatment protocols worldwide.
His profound influence extended through his exceptional leadership in the American Diabetes Association, where he uniquely received the Banting Medal for Scientific Achievement, served as editor of the prestigious journal Diabetes, and was elected president of the Association. Dr. Cryer mentored generations of endocrinologists and diabetes specialists, shaping the field through his rigorous scientific approach and emphasis on clinical relevance. He received numerous honors including the Claude Bernard Prize from the European Association for the Study of Diabetes and an honorary doctorate from the University of Copenhagen. In 2018, Barnes-Jewish Hospital recognized his extraordinary career with its Medical Staff Association Lifetime Achievement Award, cementing his legacy as one of the most influential figures in the history of diabetes research and clinical care.
