Subdivision
| • | 102. Chemistry and Chemical Biochemistry | [X] |
| | | Name: | Dr. Stephen J. Benkovic | | | Institution: | Pennsylvania State University | | | Year Elected: | 2002 | | | Class: | 1. Mathematical and Physical Sciences | | | Subdivision: | 102. Chemistry and Chemical Biochemistry | | | Residency: | Resident | | | Living? : |
Living
| | | Birth Date: | 1938 | | | | | | |
Stephen J. Benkovic received an A.B. in English literature and a B.S. in chemistry from Lehigh University in 1960 and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry with a minor in physical chemistry and biochemistry from Cornell University in 1963. He joined the faculty of Pennsylvania State University in 1965, has been Evan Pugh Professor since 1977 and has held the Eberly Chair in Chemistry since 1986. Dr. Benkovic's early immersion in the classics and in English literature has facilitated his coherent presentation of complicated processes at the chemistry/biology interface. In the laboratory, he uses a dazzling combination of methodologies to define the pathways by which separate and combined protein systems carry out the chemical conversions crucial to life processes, including DNA polymerization and replication. His studies of enzyme mechanisms led to inhibitor design and chemotherapeutic agents; those on catalytic antibodies clarify the connection between chemistry and immunology. His love of literature has been transmuted to service on editorial boards of sixteen scientific journals. He was the recipient of the Pfizer Award in Enzyme Chemistry from Pennsylvania State University in 1977, the Gowland Hopkins Award in 1986, the Repligen Award in 1989, the Alfred R. Bader Award of the American Chemical Society in 1995, the Christian B. Anfinsin Award in 2000, the National Medal of Science in 2010, and the NAS Award in Chemical Sciences in 2011. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences, the American Chemical Society, and the Royal Society. He was elected a member of the American Philosophical Society in 2002. | |
| | Name: | Dr. Peter B. Dervan | | | Institution: | California Institute of Technology | | | Year Elected: | 2002 | | | Class: | 1. Mathematical and Physical Sciences | | | Subdivision: | 102. Chemistry and Chemical Biochemistry | | | Residency: | Resident | | | Living? : |
Living
| | | Birth Date: | 1945 | | | | | | |
Peter B. Dervan received a Ph.D. from Yale University in 1972. He joined the faculty of the California Institute of Technology in 1973 and is currently the Bren Professor of Chemistry. He served as chair of the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, 1994-99. Peter Dervan is distinguished in the field of bioorganic chemistry for working out chemical principles for sequence-specific recognition of DNA. He created synthetic small molecules with affinities and sequence specificities for double-helical DNA comparable to nature's proteins that can be programmed to control gene expression in living cells. Dr. Dervan is the recipient of numerous awards, including the ACS Nobel Laureate Signature Award for Graduate Education in Chemistry (1985); the Arthur C. Cope Award (1993); the Willard Gibbs Medal (1993); the Nichols Medal (1994); the Maison de la Chimie Foundation Prize (1996); the Remsen Award (1998); the Kirkwood Medal (1998); the Alfred Bader Award (1999); the Max Tishler Prize (1999); the Linus Pauling Medal (1999); the Richard Tolman Medal (1999); the Tetrahedron Prize for Creativity in Organic Chemistry (2000); the Harvey Prize (2002); the Ronald Breslow Award for Achievement in Biomimetic Chemistry (2005) and the National Medal of Science (2006). Dr. Dervan is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, the Institute of Medicine (NAS), the National Academy of Inventors, the French Academy of Sciences, and the Germany Academy of Natural Scientists Leopoldina. He was elected a member of the American Philosophical Society in 2002. | |
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