Robert Huber
Encyclopedia
Robert Huber is a German
biochemist
and Nobel laureate.
He was born 20 February 1937 in Munich
where his father, Sebastian, was a bank cashier. He was educated at the Humanistisches Karls-Gymnasium from 1947 to 1956 and then studied chemistry
at the Technische Hochschule
, receiving his diploma in 1960. He stayed, and did research into using crystallography
to elucidate the structure of organic compounds.
In 1971 he became a director at the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry where his team developed methods for the crystallography of protein
s.
In 1988 he received the Nobel Prize for Chemistry jointly with Johann Deisenhofer
and Hartmut Michel
. The trio were recognized for their work in first crystallizing an intramembrane protein important in photosynthesis in purple bacteria
, and subsequently applying X-ray crystallography to elucidate the protein's structure. The information provided the first insight into the structural bodies that performed the integral function of photosynthesis. This insight could be translated to understand the more complex analogue of photosynthesis in cyanobacteria which is essentially the same as that in chloroplasts of higher plants.
He is married with four children.
He has recently taken up a post at the Cardiff University
and will spearhead the development of Structural Biology at the university on a part time basis.
Since 2005 he is doing research at the Center for medical biotechnology of the University of Duisburg-Essen
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
biochemist
Biochemist
Biochemists are scientists who are trained in biochemistry. Typical biochemists study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. The prefix of "bio" in "biochemist" can be understood as a fusion of "biological chemist."-Role:...
and Nobel laureate.
He was born 20 February 1937 in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
where his father, Sebastian, was a bank cashier. He was educated at the Humanistisches Karls-Gymnasium from 1947 to 1956 and then studied chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
at the Technische Hochschule
Technical University of Munich
The Technische Universität München is a research university with campuses in Munich, Garching, and Weihenstephan...
, receiving his diploma in 1960. He stayed, and did research into using crystallography
Crystallography
Crystallography is the experimental science of the arrangement of atoms in solids. The word "crystallography" derives from the Greek words crystallon = cold drop / frozen drop, with its meaning extending to all solids with some degree of transparency, and grapho = write.Before the development of...
to elucidate the structure of organic compounds.
In 1971 he became a director at the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry where his team developed methods for the crystallography of protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
s.
In 1988 he received the Nobel Prize for Chemistry jointly with Johann Deisenhofer
Johann Deisenhofer
Johann Deisenhofer is a German biochemist who, along with Hartmut Michel and Robert Huber, received the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1988 for their determination of the structure of a membrane-bound complex of proteins and co-factors that is essential to photosynthesis.Deisenhofer earned his...
and Hartmut Michel
Hartmut Michel
Hartmut Michel is a German biochemist and Nobel Laureate.He was born 18 July 1948 in Ludwigsburg. After compulsory military service, he studied biochemistry at the University of Tübingen, working for his final year at Dieter Oesterhelt’s laboratory on ATPase activity of halobacteria.In 1986, he...
. The trio were recognized for their work in first crystallizing an intramembrane protein important in photosynthesis in purple bacteria
Purple bacteria
Purple bacteria or purple photosynthetic bacteria are proteobacteria that are phototrophic, that is capable of producing energy through photosynthesis...
, and subsequently applying X-ray crystallography to elucidate the protein's structure. The information provided the first insight into the structural bodies that performed the integral function of photosynthesis. This insight could be translated to understand the more complex analogue of photosynthesis in cyanobacteria which is essentially the same as that in chloroplasts of higher plants.
He is married with four children.
He has recently taken up a post at the Cardiff University
Cardiff University
Cardiff University is a leading research university located in the Cathays Park area of Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. It received its Royal charter in 1883 and is a member of the Russell Group of Universities. The university is consistently recognised as providing high quality research-based...
and will spearhead the development of Structural Biology at the university on a part time basis.
Since 2005 he is doing research at the Center for medical biotechnology of the University of Duisburg-Essen
University of Duisburg-Essen
The University Duisburg-Essen is a public university in Duisburg and Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and a member of the new founded University Alliance Metropolis Ruhr....