Norman S. Simmons | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | 7 January 2004 | (aged 88)
Education | City College of New York, Harvard University, Rochester College (Ph.D. 1950) |
Known for | Isolating structurally pure DNA |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Dentistry, molecular biology |
Institutions | UCLA Medical School, UCLA Dental School |
Thesis | Investigation of Submaxillary Mucoid and the Defense Mechanisms of the Mouth |
Norman Simmons (May 28, 1915 – January 27, 2004) [1] was a DNA research pioneer. [1] [2]
Norman Simmons was born in New York City in 1915. He obtained a B.S. at the City College of New York, a D.M.D.at Harvard University, and a Ph.D. in 1950 at Rochester College, with a dissertation entitled “Investigation of Submaxillary Mucoid and the Defense Mechanisms of the Mouth:" this was regarded as truly innovative. [1]
He was also a sculptor, painter, actor and musician, throughout his life. He died in Los Angeles in 2004, survived survived by his wife and two sons.
He was appointed as a professor of biophysics and nuclear medicine in the UCLA Medical School, and of oral medicine in the UCLA Dental School, and he participated in the development of the latter. [1] He remained at UCLA for the whole of his career.
Simmons worked with Elkan Blout [3] on proteins and polypeptides and was also recognized for isolating a structurally pure form of DNA. [4] This was the DNA which Rosalind Franklin used in her X-ray diffraction studies [5] that rewarded Maurice Wilkins, James Watson and Francis Crick with the Nobel Prize for the double helix model of DNA. [6] In his Nobel Prize lecture of 1962, Wilkins thanked Simmons "for having refined techniques of isolating DNA, and thereby helping a great many workers including ourselves." [7]
Norman S. Simmons | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | 7 January 2004 | (aged 88)
Education | City College of New York, Harvard University, Rochester College (Ph.D. 1950) |
Known for | Isolating structurally pure DNA |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Dentistry, molecular biology |
Institutions | UCLA Medical School, UCLA Dental School |
Thesis | Investigation of Submaxillary Mucoid and the Defense Mechanisms of the Mouth |
Norman Simmons (May 28, 1915 – January 27, 2004) [1] was a DNA research pioneer. [1] [2]
Norman Simmons was born in New York City in 1915. He obtained a B.S. at the City College of New York, a D.M.D.at Harvard University, and a Ph.D. in 1950 at Rochester College, with a dissertation entitled “Investigation of Submaxillary Mucoid and the Defense Mechanisms of the Mouth:" this was regarded as truly innovative. [1]
He was also a sculptor, painter, actor and musician, throughout his life. He died in Los Angeles in 2004, survived survived by his wife and two sons.
He was appointed as a professor of biophysics and nuclear medicine in the UCLA Medical School, and of oral medicine in the UCLA Dental School, and he participated in the development of the latter. [1] He remained at UCLA for the whole of his career.
Simmons worked with Elkan Blout [3] on proteins and polypeptides and was also recognized for isolating a structurally pure form of DNA. [4] This was the DNA which Rosalind Franklin used in her X-ray diffraction studies [5] that rewarded Maurice Wilkins, James Watson and Francis Crick with the Nobel Prize for the double helix model of DNA. [6] In his Nobel Prize lecture of 1962, Wilkins thanked Simmons "for having refined techniques of isolating DNA, and thereby helping a great many workers including ourselves." [7]