Background
Northrop was born in Yonkers, New York to John Isaiah, a zoologist and instructor at Columbia University, and Alice Rich Northrop, a teacher of botany at Hunter College.
biochemist chemist scientist university professor
Northrop was born in Yonkers, New York to John Isaiah, a zoologist and instructor at Columbia University, and Alice Rich Northrop, a teacher of botany at Hunter College.
Bachelor of Science, Columbia University, 1912. Master of Arts, Columbia University, 1913. Doctor of Philosophy, Columbia University, 1915.
Doctor of Science, Columbia University, 1937. Doctor of Science, Harvard University, 1936. Doctor of Science, Yale University, 1937.
Doctor of Science, Princeton University, 1940. Doctor of Science, Rutgers University, 1941. Doctor of Laws, University California, 1939.
The award was given for these scientists' isolation, crystallization, and study of enzymes, proteins, and viruses. Northrop was a Professor of Bacteriology and Medical Physics, Emeritus at University of California, Berkeley. Early years His father died in a lab explosion two weeks before John H. Northrop was born.
During World War I, he conducted research for the U.S. Chemical Warfare Service on the production of acetone and ethanol through fermentation. This work led to studying enzymes. Research In 1929, Northrop isolated and crystallized the gastric enzyme pepsin and determined that it was a protein.
In 1938 he isolated and crystallized the first bacteriophage (a small virus that attacks bacteria), and determined that it was a nucleoprotein. Northrop also isolated and crystallized pepsinogen (the precursor to pepsin), trypsin, chymotrypsin, and carboxypeptidase. Northrop was employed by the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research in New York City from 1916 until his retirement in 1961.
In 1949 he was appointed Professor of Bacteriology, University of California, Berkeley and later, Professor of Biophysics. Personal life Northrop committed suicide in Wickenburg, Arizona in 1987.
Trustee Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Fellow: Chemical Society (honorary). Member: Sons of the American Revolution, Kais.
German Academy der Naturforscher, American Philosophical Society, Society Philomathique, Society General Physiologists, American Society Biological Chemistry, National Academy of Sciences, Century Association Club, Delta Kappa Epsilon, Phi Lambda Upsilon, Sigma Xi (research fellowship committee).
Married Louise Walker, June 1918. Children— Alice Havemeyer, John. Warner Bros.