What is Ernst Boris Chain birthday?

Ernst Boris Chain was born at 1906-06-19

When was Ernst Boris Chain died?

Ernst Boris Chain was died at 1979-08-12

Where was Ernst Boris Chain died?

Ernst Boris Chain was died in Castlebar, Republic of Ireland

Which age was Ernst Boris Chain died?

Ernst Boris Chain was died at age 73

Where is Ernst Boris Chain's birth place?

Ernst Boris Chain was born in Berlin, Germany

What is Ernst Boris Chain nationalities?

Ernst Boris Chain's nationalities is German

Who is Ernst Boris Chain spouses?

Ernst Boris Chain's spouses is Anne Chain (m. 1948–1979), his death)

How famous is Ernst Boris Chain?

Ernst Boris Chain is famouse as Biochemist

Ernst Boris Chain - Biochemists, Facts and Family

Home › German › Ernst Boris ChainJune 19, 1906372 views

Ernst Boris Chain Biography Stories Embed this Biography stories

Table of contents

Personal Details
Photo
Overview
Awards
Timeline
FAQ

German Scientists Biochemists Gemini Celebrities

Ernst Boris Chain's Personal Details

Sir Ernst Boris Chain was a biochemist who won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1945

Information	Detail
Birthday	June 19, 1906
Died on	August 12, 1979
Nationality	German
Famous	Scientists, Biochemists
Spouses	Anne Chain (m. 1948–1979), his death)
Birth Place	Berlin, Germany
Gender	Male
Sun Sign	Gemini
Born in	Berlin, Germany
Famous as	Biochemist
Died at Age	73

// Famous Scientists

Juliane Koepcke

Juliane Koepcke is a German-Peruvian biologist, who was the lone survivor among the 92 passengers and crew of the ill-fated LANSA Flight 508 that crashed in the Peruvian rainforest on 24 December 1971. Know more about her life in this biography.

Henry Cavendish

Henry Cavendish was a theoretical chemist and physicist, renowned for discovery of hydrogen and calculation of the mass of earth. To know more about his childhood, profile, timeline and career read on

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky was a Russian rocket scientist and a pioneer of astronautics. This biography provides detailed information about his childhood, family, personal life, career, achievements, etc.

Who is Ernst Boris Chain?

Sir Ernst Boris Chain was a biochemist whose works earned him the prestigious Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1945. He jointly won the award with the fellow scientists Sir Alexander Fleming and Sir Howard Walter Florey. The trio was instrumental in developing the world’s first antibiotic, penicillin, which proved to be of immense use in the treatment of wounded soldiers during the World War II. Ernst Boris Chain developed an interest for chemistry from a young age and subsequently completed his graduation in Chemistry and Physiology from the Friedrich Wilhelm University. He later engaged in research work at the Institute of Pathology, Charité Hospital in Berlin, until he was forced to shift to England due to anti-semitic policies of Hitler. He worked in different capacities at Cambridge, Oxford University, and at the University of London. Towards the later part of his career he served as the Director of the International Research Centre for Chemical Microbiology, Superior Institute of Health, in Rome. He along with pathologist Howard Florey isolated and worked on pencillin, which was found by Alexander Fleming almost a decade earlier. The duo was successfully able to identify its antibiotic properties. Post his retirement, he continued delivering lectures.

// Famous Biochemists

Robert Huber

Robert Huber is a German biochemist and Nobel Laureate. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.

Charles Best

Charles Best was a great scientist and a renowned physiologist who is remembered for being the co-discoverer of insulin. Read this biography to learn about his profile, childhood, life and timeline.

Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov was an American professor of biochemistry and a renowned author of science fiction and popular science books. Read this biography to know more about his life.

Childhood & Early Life

Ernst Boris Chain was born on 19 June 1906, at Berlin, to chemist and industrialist, Dr. Michael Chain, and his wife, Margarete Eisner.

He completed his school education at Luisengymnasium at Berlin. During his school days he would frequently visit his father’s laboratory and subsequently developed an interest in biochemistry.

In 1930, he graduated with a degree in Chemistry and Physiology from the Friedrich Wilhelm University at Berlin.

Career

After completing his graduation, he worked at the Charité Hospital in Berlin for three years. During this period, he focused on enzyme research.

With the Nazis coming into power he realized that Germany would not be safe for him as he was a Jew. On 2 April 1933, he shifted to London, England. Upon arriving in England, with the assistance of renowned scientist J.B.S. Haldane he received an opportunity to work at the University College Hospital, London.

After a few months, he was accepted as a PhD student at the Fitzwilliam House affiliated with Cambridge University. At the university, he studied phospholipids under the guidance of biochemist Frederick Gowland Hopkins.

In 1935, he began working at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology of the Oxford University. The following year he was made demonstrator and lecturer in chemical pathology.

While pursuing his career as a lecturer, he simultaneously conducted extensive research on diverse areas that include studying the metabolism of tumours, understanding biochemistry techniques, conducting research on lysosomes and snake venom.

In 1939, he, along with Australian pathologist and pharmacologist, Howard Florey, engaged in intensive research on natural antibacterial agents generated by microorganisms.

These studies led to the revisiting the works of biologist Alexander Fleming. Alexander Fleming had explained in detail about the penicillin mold almost a decade earlier. Ernst Boris Chain along with Howard Florey worked on the chemical structure and therapeutic characteristics of Penicillin.

He developed theory on the structure of the antibiotic that was later confirmed through X-Ray Crystallography by biochemist Dorothy Hodgkin. This research earned them the Nobel Prize in 1945.

Penicillin was widely used for the treatment of the armed forces during the World War II. After the war it was made available for civilian use as well.

Post the World War II, he shifted to Rome and joined the Istituto Superiore di Sanità as the Scientific Director of the International Research Centre for Chemical Microbiology at the Institute, in 1948. He remained in the institute till 1961.

In 1961, he moved to Britain and was appointed as the Founder and Head at the Department of Biochemistry at the Imperial College in London. He remained in the college until his retirement in 1973. Post his retirement, he continued to deliver lectures.

His research work during the later years of his career included studies on fermentation technology, production of lysergic acid in a submerged culture, segregation of new fungal metabolites and the carbohydrate-amino acid relationship in nervous tissue.

Major Works

Ernst Boris Chain was a renowned biochemist who was instrumental in refining penicillin and developing the primary antibiotic drug.

Awards & Achievements:

He along with Alexander Fleming and Howard Florey received the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1945.

In 1946 he received the Silver Berzelius Medal of the Swedish Medical Society. The following year he was made a commander of the Legion d'Honneur.

In 1954, he received the Paul Ehrlich Centenary Prize.

In 1957, he was gifted with the Gold Medal for Therapeutics of the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London.

In 1969, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.

He was bestowed honorary degrees from the universities of Bordeaux, Paris, La Plata, Cordoba, Montevideo, Turin and Brazil.

He was also a member of numerous learned societies across several countries like the New York Academy of Medicine, Académie des Sciences in Paris, the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, National Institute of Sciences in India and the Finnish Biochemical Society, to name a few.

Personal Life & Legacy

Ernst Boris Chain married biochemist Annie Chain Beoff-Chain in 1948. The couple had three children; two sons Benjamin and Daniel, and a daughter named Judith.

He died of heart failure on 12 August 1979, at Mayo General Hospital, in Castlebar, Ireland.

Trivia

The biochemistry building of the Imperial College in London is named after Ernst Boris Chain.

A road in the county town of Castlebar in Ireland is also named after him.

// Famous Gemini Celebrities peoples

Wentworth Miller

Wentworth Miller is an American actor and screenwriter who achieved recognition for his role in the TV series ‘Prison Break’.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer is a Christian author and speaker. This biography provides detailed information about her childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline

Zoe LaVerne

Zoe LaVerne is an American musical.ly star. Check out this biography to know more about her family, personal life, including her age, birthday, etc.

Ernst Boris Chain's awards

Year	Name	Award
Other
0	1945 - Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
0	1954 - Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize

Ernst Boris Chain biography timelines

// 19th Jun 1906
Ernst Boris Chain was born on 19 June 1906, at Berlin, to chemist and industrialist, Dr. Michael Chain, and his wife, Margarete Eisner.
// 1930
In 1930, he graduated with a degree in Chemistry and Physiology from the Friedrich Wilhelm University at Berlin.
// 2nd Apr 1933
With the Nazis coming into power he realized that Germany would not be safe for him as he was a Jew. On 2 April 1933, he shifted to London, England. Upon arriving in England, with the assistance of renowned scientist J.B.S. Haldane he received an opportunity to work at the University College Hospital, London.
// 1935
In 1935, he began working at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology of the Oxford University. The following year he was made demonstrator and lecturer in chemical pathology.
// 1939
In 1939, he, along with Australian pathologist and pharmacologist, Howard Florey, engaged in intensive research on natural antibacterial agents generated by microorganisms.
// 1945
He developed theory on the structure of the antibiotic that was later confirmed through X-Ray Crystallography by biochemist Dorothy Hodgkin. This research earned them the Nobel Prize in 1945.
// 1945
He along with Alexander Fleming and Howard Florey received the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1945.
// 1946
In 1946 he received the Silver Berzelius Medal of the Swedish Medical Society. The following year he was made a commander of the Legion d'Honneur.
// 1948 To 1961
Post the World War II, he shifted to Rome and joined the Istituto Superiore di Sanità as the Scientific Director of the International Research Centre for Chemical Microbiology at the Institute, in 1948. He remained in the institute till 1961.
// 1948
Ernst Boris Chain married biochemist Annie Chain Beoff-Chain in 1948. The couple had three children; two sons Benjamin and Daniel, and a daughter named Judith.
// 1954
In 1954, he received the Paul Ehrlich Centenary Prize.
// 1957
In 1957, he was gifted with the Gold Medal for Therapeutics of the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London.
// 1961 To 1973
In 1961, he moved to Britain and was appointed as the Founder and Head at the Department of Biochemistry at the Imperial College in London. He remained in the college until his retirement in 1973. Post his retirement, he continued to deliver lectures.
// 1969
In 1969, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.
// 12th Aug 1979
He died of heart failure on 12 August 1979, at Mayo General Hospital, in Castlebar, Ireland.

// Famous German peoples

Ernst Boris Chain's FAQ

What is Ernst Boris Chain birthday?
Ernst Boris Chain was born at 1906-06-19
When was Ernst Boris Chain died?
Ernst Boris Chain was died at 1979-08-12
Where was Ernst Boris Chain died?
Ernst Boris Chain was died in Castlebar, Republic of Ireland
Which age was Ernst Boris Chain died?
Ernst Boris Chain was died at age 73
Where is Ernst Boris Chain's birth place?
Ernst Boris Chain was born in Berlin, Germany
What is Ernst Boris Chain nationalities?
Ernst Boris Chain's nationalities is German
Who is Ernst Boris Chain spouses?
Ernst Boris Chain's spouses is Anne Chain (m. 1948–1979), his death)
What is Ernst Boris Chain's sun sign?
Ernst Boris Chain is Gemini
How famous is Ernst Boris Chain?
Ernst Boris Chain is famouse as Biochemist