Donald Nicholson
Donald Elliot Nicholson (born January 16, 1916 - May 12, 2012 ) was a British biochemist and molecular geneticist .
Life
In 1936, Nicholson graduated from Huddersfield Technical College with an external degree from London University. He then received his doctorate from the University of London in 1940. During the Second World War, Donald Nicholson worked as a chemist in the pharmaceutical company Boots Pure Drug Company in Nottingham to develop and introduce the first synthetic sulfonamides . Thereafter, in 1946, he was employed in the bacteriology department of the Leeds Medical School , where he initially worked as a research assistant in the chemotherapy field. In addition, he was hired as a lecturer four years later and promoted to senior lecturer in 1964.
research
During his work in medical school, Nicholson became increasingly concerned with metabolic pathways . Therefore, in 1955, he combined all of the metabolic pathways known at the time in one graph, the "Metabolic Pathway Chart". The first copies appeared in 1960 and met positive criticism from well-known biochemists (e.g. used in lectures by Hans Krebs ).
When Donald Nicholson was able to digitize some metabolic pathways under the name "Minimaps" in 1996, he recorded and enlarged smaller, more individual metabolic pathways. Additional influences such as coenzyme , regulating factors and cellular compartments were also described.
Nicholson spent the last years of his life working on a further development of his work using Flash , the "Animaps". Using Flash animations, these also show molecular movements and enzyme interactions, as well as some metabolic chemical reactions.
There are currently 22 editions of his original metabolic map, the Metabolic Pathways . After Nicholson's death, the rights for the Metabolic Pathway Charts as well as the Minimaps and Animaps are held by IUBMB (International Association of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology).
Fonts
- Stanley Dagley, Donald E. Nicholson: An introduction to metabolic pathways: Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications, 1970, ISBN 978-0632031207
- Donald E. Nicholson: The Universe, Matter and Life (Teach Yourself). London: English Universities Press, 1962, ISBN 9780340057100
- Donald E. Nicholson: A lifetime of metabolism. In: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences CMLS, 02/2006
- Donald E. Nicholson: Products of isoprene metabolism. In: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 05/2005
- Donald E. Nicholson: From metabolic pathways charts to animaps in 50 years. In: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 05/2005
- Donald E. Nicholson: Poem: a genetic ode, or a melan coli tale. In: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 05/2005
- Donald E. Nicholson: Purine and pyrimidine metabolism, designed by Donald Nicholson: Commentary. In: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 05/2004
Awards
Donald Nicholson received an Honorary Doctorate (D.Sc.) from the University of Huddersfield . He was also one of then two members of the IUBMB for life.
Web links
- Obituary of the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUMB)
- Donald Nicholson: Historical Thank-yous (IUMB website)
- Obituary from the University of Leeds
- Obituary for Donald Nicholson
- Donald Nicholson obituary - Biochemist who mapped the intricate relationships of the metabolic pathways in the human body
- WikiPathways - a wiki of the scientific community dedicated to archiving and improving metabolic pathways
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Nicholson, Donald |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Nicholson, Donald Elliot (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | British biochemist and molecular geneticist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 16, 1916 |
| DATE OF DEATH | May 12, 2012 |