Fabry

Fabry may refer to several subjects in science, medicine, and notable individuals sharing the surname. The best known uses are as a surname of scientists, the Fabry–Pérot interferometer, and Fabry disease.

Charles Fabry (1867–1945) was a French physicist who made significant contributions to optics and atmospheric studies. He and Alfred Pérot developed the Fabry–Pérot interferometer, an optical device that uses multiple-beam interference between two partially reflecting mirrors to obtain high spectral resolution. The instrument is widely used in spectroscopy and telecommunications, including tunable filters and wavelength meters. Fabry’s work also contributed to early studies of the ozone layer.

Johannes Fabry was a German dermatologist who first described the lysosomal storage disorder now known as Fabry disease. Also called Anderson–Fabry disease, it is caused by deficiency of the enzyme alpha-galactosidase A, resulting in accumulation of globotriaosylceramide in multiple organs. Clinical features typically include acroparesthesias, angiokeratomas, and hypohidrosis, with progressive renal, cardiac, and cerebrovascular complications. The disease is inherited in an X-linked pattern and can be treated with enzyme replacement therapy or pharmacological chaperones.

The Fabry–Pérot interferometer, named for Charles Fabry and Alfred Pérot, remains a fundamental tool in high-resolution spectroscopy and is used in physics and engineering contexts where precise spectral measurements are required.