H. Gobind Khorana, Ph.D.
H. Gobind Khorana, Ph.D.
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1968
Co-Nobelists: Robert W. Holley, Marshall W. Nirenberg
National Medal of Sciences – Biological Sciences 1978
Name: Har Gobind Khorana
Birth: 9 January 1922, Raipur, India
Death: 9 November 2011, Concord, MA, USA
Institution: University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
Award: “for their interpretation of the genetic code and its function in protein synthesis.”
Portion of Cash: 1/3
Education, Mentors: D.A.V. High School, Multan, India; Influential Teacher; Ratan Lal.
B.Sc. 1943 & M. Sc. 1945, Punjab University, Lahore, India; Supervisor: Mahan Singh.
Ph.D. University of Liverpool, UK 1948, Indian government scholarship; Mentor: Roger J. S. Beer.
Postdoc Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule, Zurich, 1948-1949; Mentor: Vladimir Prelog, Chemistry Nobelist 1975.
Postdoc Cambridge University, England 1949; Mentors: G. W. Kenner & A. R. Todd, Chemistry Nobelist 1957.
Organic Chemist, Biochemist. ‘Genetic code interpretation, function in protein synthesis. Pioneered synthesizing biologically active gene, determine codon triplets’ nucleotides order. Unraveled genetic code, how nucleic acids form proteins. Pioneered genetic engineering. Multidisciplinary work.
“Wife brought sense of purpose. In foreign country, I felt out of place everywhere, at home nowhere.”
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The President’s National Medal of Science: Recipient Details
Title: Professor of Biology and Chemistry
Affiliation: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge,Massachusetts 02139 USA
Gender: Male
Year Deceased: 2011
Award Discipline: Biological Sciences
Award Year: 1987
Citation: “For his innovative contributions that significantly contributed to our understanding of gene structure, membrane function and vision and for the work stimulated by his research which has had a major impact on the biological and chemical sciences.”
Presented by President Reagan at a White House Ceremony on June 25, 1987.