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Paul Berg

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Paul Berg
Paul Berg in 1980
Born(1926-06-30)June 30, 1926
DiedFebruary 15, 2023(2023-02-15) (aged 96)
NationalityU.S.
Alma materCase Western Reserve University
Pennsylvania State University
Known forrecombinant DNA
AwardsNobel Prize in Chemistry (1980)
Scientific career
FieldsBiochemistry
InstitutionsStanford University
Washington University in St. Louis

Paul Berg (June 30, 1926 – February 15, 2023) was an American biochemist (a person who studies chemistry in living things). He was given the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1980, with Walter Gilbert and Frederick Sanger. The award recognized their contributions to basic research on nucleic acids.

Early life

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Berg was born in New York City. He received his undergraduate education at Penn State University, where he majored in biochemistry. He received his Ph.D. in biochemistry from Case Western Reserve University in 1952.

After 1959 Berg worked at Stanford University, Palo Alto, California. There he taught biochemistry from 1959 until 2000. He served as director of the Beckman Center for Molecular and Genetic Medicine from 1985 until 2000.[1] He is now professor emeritus at Stanford University.

In addition to the Nobel Prize, Berg was given with the National Medal of Science in 1983 and the National Library of Medicine Medal in 1986.

Berg was famous for his pioneering work involving recombinant DNA, the process of inserting DNA from another species into a molecule, leading to the development of modern genetic engineering. After developing the technique, Berg used it for his studies of viral genomes.[2]

Berg died on February 15, 2023 at his home in Stanford, California at the age of 96.[3][4]

References

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  1. "Paul Berg - Curriculum Vitae". The Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2011-03-25.
  2. "Award Ceremony Speech". The Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2011-03-25.
  3. Moskal, Emily (February 17, 2023). "Nobel Prize winner and recombinant DNA pioneer Paul Berg dies". Stanford University School of Medicine. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  4. "Paul Berg, pioneer in gene splicing who led way for biotech, dies at 96". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved February 20, 2023.