C. B. van Niel

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C. B. van Niel
Born
Cornelis Bernardus van Niel

(1897-11-04)November 4, 1897
TU Delft
Known forChemistry of photosynthesis
AwardsNational Medal of Science (1963)
Leeuwenhoek Medal (1970)
Scientific career
FieldsMicrobiology
InstitutionsHopkins Marine Station
Doctoral advisorAlbert Kluyver
Doctoral studentsRoger Stanier
Signature

Cornelis Bernardus van Niel (also known as Kees van Niel; November 4, 1897 – March 10, 1985) was a Dutch-American microbiologist. He introduced the study of general microbiology to the United States and made key discoveries explaining the chemistry of photosynthesis.[1]

Early life

In 1923, Cornelis van Niel graduated in chemical engineering at

Delft University and became an assistant to Albert Kluyver, who had initiated the field of comparative biochemistry. In 1925 he married Christina van Hemert in Bloemendaal, North Holland, Netherlands. In 1928 he wrote his PhD dissertation ('The Propionic Acid Bacteria') after which he left for the United States to continue his work at the Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University
.

Work and discoveries

Photosynthesis (1931)

By studying

oxidizable compound reduces carbon dioxide
to cellular materials. Expressed as:

2 H2A + CO2 → 2A + CH2O + H2O

where A is the electron acceptor. His discovery predicted that H2O is the hydrogen donor in green plant photosynthesis and is oxidized to O2. The chemical summation of photosynthesis was a milestone in the understanding of the chemistry of photosynthesis. This was later experimentally verified by Robert Hill.

In a nutshell, van Niel proved that plants give off oxygen as a result of splitting water molecules during photosynthesis, not carbon dioxide molecules as thought before.

Bacterial taxonomy

Van Niel also played a key role in the development of

nuclear membrane, a definition that is still used to date.[3]

Teaching

Shortly after his arrival at

Allan Campbell.[4][5]
and Arthur Kornberg, the recipient of the 1959 Nobel prize for DNA synthesis.

Scientific legacy and awards

Van Niel was the first biologist to receive the American National Medal of Science;[6] he was awarded the 1963 Medal in biological sciences for "his fundamental investigations of the comparative biochemistry of microorganisms, for his studies of the basic mechanisms of photosynthesis, and for his excellence as a teacher of many scientists."[7] Additional awards include:

van Niel was elected to the United States National Academy of Sciences in 1945 and the American Philosophical Society in 1948.[8][9] In 1950 van Niel became a correspondent of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences and was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1950.[10][11]

Selected publications

  • S2CID 29859498
    .
The standard author abbreviation C.B.Niel is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name.[12]

Footnotes

  1. ^
    ISBN 0309041988
    .
  2. S2CID 19597530
    .
  3. ISBN 978-0-19-973438-2
    .
  4. PMID 17474874
    .
  5. ^ Simon, Matthew. "Anecdotes". The Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg Trust. Retrieved January 30, 2012.
  6. ^ Hopkins Marine Station. "History". Archived from the original on January 26, 2013. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
  7. ^ National Science Foundation. "US NSF - The President's National Medal of Science: Recipient Details". Retrieved January 11, 2013.
  8. ^ "C. B. Van Niel". www.nasonline.org. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  9. ^ "APS Member History". search.amphilsoc.org. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  10. ^ "Cornelis Bernardus van Niel (1897 - 1985)". Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  11. ^ "Cornelis Bernardus van Niel". American Academy of Arts & Sciences. February 9, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  12. ^ International Plant Names Index.  C.B.Niel.

External links

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