Finding Aid for the W.F.H.M. Mommaerts papers, 1943-1991
LSC.0394
Finding aid prepared by Russell A. Johnson, 1997. Addition to collection completed by Angel Diaz, 2017.
UCLA Library Special Collections
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1575
(310) 825-4988
spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
Finding aid last updated 25 August 2017.
Title: W.F.H.M. Mommaerts papers
Identifier/Call Number: LSC.0394
Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
1.8 linear feet
(2 boxes and 1 oversize flat box)
Date (bulk): Bulk, 1985-1991
Date (inclusive): 1943-1991
Abstract: Wilfried Francius Henricus Maria (W.F.H.M.) Mommaerts (1917-1994) was a Belgian-born physiologist and Professor of Medicine
and Physiology at the UCLA School of Medicine's Department of Physiology, whose research focused on cardiovascular function
and disease. This collection, spanning 1943-1991 (bulk 1985-1991), focuses largely on the final years of Mommaerts' career
and life, including summaries of research contributions, correspondence, notes, and drafts pertaining to a book manuscript
he co-edited, and a typescript copy of most of the chapters from his unpublished autobiography (1986).
Language of Materials: Materials are in English.
Physical Location: Stored off-site at SRLF. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button
located on this page.
Creator:
Mommaerts, W. F. H. M.
Conditions Governing Access
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. All requests to access special collections material must be made in
advance using the request button located on this page.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library Special Collections. Literary rights, including copyright,
are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright
and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], W.F.H.M. Mommaerts papers (Collection 394). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research
Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Gift of Edina Weinstein, 1997.
Processing Information
Processed by Russell A. Johnson, 1997. Additional materials processed by Angel Diaz, 2017.
UCLA Catalog Record ID
Biography
Wilfried Franciscus Henricus Maria (W.F.H.M.) Mommaerts was born March 4, 1917, in Broechem, Antwerp, Belgium. He studied
biology at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands, earning his BA in 1937 and MA in 1939. His studies focused on general
and comparative physiology, chloroplasts, chemical embryology, and tissue culture. In 1941, he joined the research group of
the future Nobel Laureate, Professor Albert Szent-Györgyi, at the Institute for Medical Chemistry in Szeged, Hungary, and
received his PhD in 1943 from the University of Kolozvar, Hungary (now Cluj-Napoca, Romania).
Following work at a Budapest beer factory (1943-1945) and at the American University of Beirut (1945-1948), Mommaerts immigrated
to the United States in 1948 to continue his research at Duke University School of Medicine (1948-1953) and Western Reserve
University School of Medicine (1953-1956). In 1956, he became Professor of Medicine and Physiology at UCLA, directing the
Los Angeles County Heart Association Research Library and later chairing the School of Medicine's Department of Physiology
from 1966 until his retirement in 1987. Mommaerts' work helped Los Angeles become a recognized center for heart surgery and
science. Through his research on cardiovascular function and disease, Mommaerts changed the emphasis of physiological research
on the heart and helped develop the understanding that the organ functions as a muscle and not merely a pump. Mommaerts died
in Los Angeles on February 2, 1994 at age 76.
Scope and Content
The W.F.H.M. papers largely focus on the final years of his career and life, from 1985-1991. A highlight of this collection
is a typescript copy of most of the chapters from Mommaerts' unpublished autobiography written in 1986. The collection also
includes correspondence, notes, and drafts pertaining to the book manuscript he co-edited with Rainer Greger and Hans-Peter
Koepchen,
Human Physiology from Cellular Mechanisms to Integration (1985-1991). The manuscript was published in 1996 after his death. Aside from Mommaerts' curriculum vitae, degree certificates,
and summaries of research contributions, this collection lacks the majority of his teaching, research, lectures, and committee
activities.
Organization and Arrangement
This collection has been arranged in the following series.
- Series 1: Biographical files, 1943-1991
- Series 2: UCLA Department of Physiology, 1991
- Series 3: Correspondence, 1987-1991
- Series 4:
Human Physiology from Cellular Mechanism to Integration, 1985-1991
- Series 5: Miscellaneous publications, 1989-1991
- Series 6: Autobiography manuscript, 1986
Subjects and Indexing Terms
University of California, Los Angeles--Dept of Physiology--Faculty--Archives..
Cardiovascular system--Physiology--Research.
Physiologists--United States--Archives.
Series 1: Biographical files.
1943, 1971-1991
Scope and Content
This series includes materials that outline Mommaert's academic and scholarly achievements: curriculum vitae, degree and academic
program certificates, and a summary of research contributions. Materials are arranged in alphabetical order.
Box 1, Folder 1
Curriculum vitae.
1987, 1991
Box 3, Folder 1
Degree and academic program certificates.
1943, 1971-1980
Box 1, Folder 2
Summary of research contributions.
1981, 1985
Series 2: UCLA Department of Physiology files.
1991, undated
Scope and Content
Departmental files created towards the end of Mommaert's career and life. Arranged in alphabetical order and by size.
Box 1, Folder 3
Correspondence, memoranda, and a photograph.
1991
Box 3, Folder 2
Five oversize anatomy drawings used in presentations.
undated
Box 1, Folders 4-6
Series 3: Correspondence.
1987-1991
Scope and Content
Correspondence with H.P. Vosberg, Max Planck Intitut; Francois Gros, Pasteur Institute; and miscellaneous. Arranged in chronological
order.
Series 4: Human Physiology from Cellular Mechanisms to Integration.
1985-1991
Scope and Content
This series contains contracts and agreements, correspondence, synopses, chapter drafts, related to the manuscript Mommaerts
co-edited with physiologists, Rainer Greger and Hans-Peter Koepchen. The book was published after Mommaerts death as
Comprehensive Human Physiology: From Cellular Mechanisms to Integration, edited by Rainer Greger and Uwe Windhorst. Files in this series are arranged in alphabetical order.
Box 1, Folder 8
Springer-Verlag contract.
1990-1991
Box 1, Folder 9
Springer instructions to authors.
1991
Box 1, Folder 10
Correspondence. Springer.
1991
Box 1, Folder 11
Correspondence. Springer and authors.
1991
Box 1, Folder 13
Correspondence. Authors.
1989-1991
Box 1, Folder 14
Correspondence. da Silva.
1991
Box 1, Folder 15
Correspondence. Howard Florey Institute.
1991
Box 1, Folder 16
Correspondence. Greger.
1991
Box 1, Folder 17
Correspondence. Katz.
1991
Box 1, Folder 18
Correspondence. Koepchen.
1991
Box 1, Folder 19
Correspondence. McAllen.
1991
Box 1, Folder 20
Correspondence. Renkin.
1991
Box 1, Folder 21
Correspondence. Windhorst.
1991
Box 1, Folder 22
Correspondence. Yamamoto.
1991
Box 1, Folder 23
"Cell Membrane" chapter.
1986
Box 1, Folder 24
"Nerve" chapter.
1985-1986
Box 1, Folder 25
"Homeostasis" chapter.
undated
Box 1, Folder 26
"Nervous - Architecture" chapter.
1986
Box 2, Folder 3
Closing chapter.
1986-1991
Box 2, Folder 4
Other chapters, "Diving, immersion, and breath-holding."
1987
Series 5: Publications.
1989-1991
Scope and Content
This series contains manuscripts, research publications, and related correspondence authored either solely by Mommaerts or
in collaboration with colleagues. Arranged chronologically.
Box 2, Folder 5
Effect of muscle length on fast-slow properties in spinal isolation. Eldridge, Marusich, and Mommaerts.
1989
Box 2, Folder 6
BioEssays. "Who discovered actin?" manuscript and correspondence.
1991
Box 2, Folder 7
Amphion. Rein and Mommaerts.
undated
Box 2, Folder 8
Current Trends in Molecular Cardiology. Myosin isoforms and contractility, an interpretation.
undated
Box 2, Folders 9-26
Series 6: Autobiography manuscript.
1986
Scope and Content
Typescript copy of most of the 18 chapters from Mommaert's unpublished autobiography. Manuscript includes chapters related
to his youth, education, work in Hungary, and up to research done in Los Angeles. Most chapters focus on a different city
or work site. Series is missing chapters 5, 11, 12 and 17. Arranged in chapter order.
