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Dr. Albert Hofmann (born January 11 1906 ) is a prominent Swiss scientist and best known as the " Father " of LSD . He was born in Baden, Switzerland , and studied Chemistry at the University Of Zürich . His main interest was the chemistry of plants and animals, and he later conducted important research regarding the chemical structure of the common animal substance Chitin , for which he received his doctorate. Hofmann joined the pharmaceutical-chemical department of Sandoz Laboratories (now Novartis ), located in Basel , studying the Medicinal Plant Squill and the Fungus Ergot as part of a program to purify and synthesize active constituents for use as Pharmaceuticals . His research in for details). This was followed by a series of self-experiments conducted by Hofmann and his colleagues. He first wrote about these experiments on April 22 of the same year. He became director of the natural products department at Sandoz and went on studying hallucinogenic substances found in Mexican Mushroom s and other plants used by the aboriginal people. This led to the synthesis of Psilocybin , the active agent of many " Magic Mushroom s." Hofmann also became interested in the seeds of the Mexican Morning Glory species '' Rivea Corymbosa '', the seeds of which are called ''Ololiuhqui'' by the natives. He was surprised to find the active compound of Ololiuhqui chemically similar to LSD. In 1962 , he and his wife Anita travelled to southern Mexico to search for the plant "Ska Maria Pastora" (Leaves of Mary the Shepherdess), later known as '' Salvia Divinorum ''. He was able to obtain samples of this plant but never succeeded in identifying its active chemicals. He calls LSD "medicine for the soul" and is frustrated by the worldwide prohibition that has pushed it underground. "It was used very successfully for 10 years in psychoanalysis," he said, adding that the drug was hijacked by the youth movement of the 1960s and then unfairly demonized by the establishment that the movement opposed. He concedes LSD can be dangerous in the wrong hands. {Link without Title} He has been the author of over 100 scientific articles and has written (or co-written) a number of books, including ''LSD, My Problem Child'', which is partly an autobiography and describes his famous bicycle ride. On the occasion of his 100th birthday on January 11 , 2006 , he was the focus of an international symposium , which drew further media attention for his discovery of LSD. "I think that in human evolution it has never been as necessary to have this substance LSD," said Hofmann. "It is just a tool to turn us into what we are supposed to be." - Wired.com article FURTHER READING
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