John Kendrew

Description: (English Biochemist, Crystallographer and One of the Winners of the 1962 Nobel Prize in Chemistry)

Sir John Cowdery Kendrew was an English biochemist and crystallographer. Along with Max Perutz, he won the 1962 ‘Nobel Prize in Chemistry.’ The duo won the award for their studies of the structure of globular proteins. Born into an educated and cultured family in Oxford, John Kendrew graduated in chemistry from ‘Trinity College’ in 1939 when ‘World War II’ broke out. Subsequently, he spent the war years with the ‘Royal Air Force’ as honorary wing commander. Afterwards, he joined the ‘Cavendish Laboratory’ where he began to work on hemoglobin with Max Ferdinand Perutz. Later, his interest shifted to myoglobin. After years of intense research, he was able to come up with its complete structure, for which he later received the ‘Nobel Prize in Chemistry.’ Kendrew was also an excellent administrator and held many important positions simultaneously. When he was still a student, he helped establish ‘Medical Research Council Unit’ at the ‘Cavendish Laboratory’ and held important positions there. Much later, he became the founder member of ‘European Molecular Biology Organization.’ He founded and ran the organization’s laboratory at Heidelberg. For many years, he also served as the editor-in-chief of ‘Journal of Molecular Biology,’ a biweekly peer-reviewed scientific journal. Also a thorough gentleman, Kendrew was revered by the scientific fraternity.

Overview

Birthday March 24, 1917 (Aries)
Born In England
Alternative names John Cowdery Kendrew
City Oxford, England
Died on August 23, 1997
Parents Wilfrid George Kendrew
Evelyn May Graham Sandburg
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