Herbert Weissbach (biochemist)
Herbert Weissbach | |
---|---|
Born | Molecular Biology | March 16, 1932
Institutions | Roche Institute of Molecular Biology Florida Atlantic University |
Thesis | Studies on 5-Hydroxyindole Metabolism (1957) |
Academic advisors | Horace Barker |
Dr. Herbert Weissbach
He was born in the
Upon graduation, he was recruited by Dr.
In 1959 he returned to the NIH as an independent investigator where he continued his studies on the role of vitamin B12 in methionine biosynthesis, research that helped to elucidate the known inter-relationship among vitamin 12, folic acid and one carbon metabolism.[6][7] The studies on methionine synthesis led to his collaboration with the Nirenberg laboratory at the NIH shortly after the genetic code was cracked.[8]
By 1967 the Weissbach laboratory was deeply involved in protein synthesis (translation) [9][10][11][12] at which time he accepted a position as associate director of the RIMB to help found the Roche Institute of Molecular Biology (RIMB) with Sidney Udenfriend, and in 1983 he became director of the RIMB and a vice-president of research at Hoffmann-La Roche, Nutley, NJ. The RIMB was involved in the very early days of the emergence of the biotechnology industry and was instrumental in helping Hoffmann-La Roche enter this field.[13] Weissbach described this period at Roche in a book he co-authored with David Fisher in 2016 titled “A Camelot of the Biomedical Sciences: The Story of the Roche Institute of Molecular Biology”.[14]
After the RIMB closed, in 1997 he accepted a position as distinguished research professor at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) REFF, where he founded, and was director, of the Center for Molecular Biology and Biotechnology [15] (CMBB) for 20 years. In 2017 he was appointed Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus at FAU. His most recent research has involved understanding the mechanisms that cells use to protect against oxidative damage, based on the observation that cells have a mechanism to protect against oxidative damage to methionine residues in proteins [16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23]
Notable awards
- Election to the National Academy of Sciences (1982–Present)[24]
- 300 most cited authors (1961-1976), Current Content July 10, 1978
- Superior Service Award of the Department of Health Education and Welfare (1968)
- Pfizer Award in Enzyme Chemistry(1970)[25]
- Townsend Harris Medal of the City College of New York Alumni Association (1988)[26]
- George Washington University Distinguished Alumni Award (1994)
- Member of the American Academy of Microbiology (1997)
- Charter Fellow of the National Academy of inventors (2012)
- BioFlorida Lifetime Achievement Award[27]
Notes
- ISSN 0021-9258.
- ^ "Work of Herbert Weissbach - Journal of Biological Chemistry)". www.jbc.org. Retrieved 2007-03-12.
- ISBN 978-0-309-08957-9.
- PMID 16590408.
- PMID 13843764.
- PMID 14085379.
- PMID 5340657.
- PMID 5338733.
- PMID 5337045.
- PMID 4867665.
- PMID 4921066.
- PMID 561072.
- PMID 6170264.
- ISBN 978-0998278407.
- ^ "Center for Molecular Biology and Biotechnology : Florida Atlantic University - Charles e. Schmidt College of Science".
- PMID 7017726.
- PMID 1468111.
- PMID 11063566.
- PMID 11867705.
- PMID 19884509.
- PMID 25385631.
- PMID 22866174.
- PMID 26718410.
- ^ "Herbert Weissbach".
- .
- ^ "The City College Alumni Association - the Townsend Harris Medalist". Archived from the original on 2018-03-23. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
- ^ "Herbert Weissbach Receives BioFlorida's 'Lifetime Achievement Award'". Florida Atlantic University. Retrieved 18 October 2022.