Paul Berg

Paul Berg - Biochemists, Birthday and Personal Life

Violet FieldHome › AmericanPaul BergJune 30, 1926369 views

0 based on 0 rates
Paul Berg Biography Stories 

Paul Berg's Personal Details

Paul Berg is an American biochemist who won a share of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1980

InformationDetail
BirthdayJune 30, 1926
NationalityAmerican
FamousPennsylvania State University, Scientists, Biochemists
SpousesMildred Levy
Universities
  • Pennsylvania State University
Notable Alumnis
  • Pennsylvania State University
Birth PlaceBrooklyn, New York
GenderMale
FatherHarry Berg
MotherSarah Brodsky
Sun SignCancer
Born inBrooklyn, New York
Famous asBiochemist

// Famous Biochemists

Robert Huber

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

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

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.

Paul Berg's photo

Who is Paul Berg?

Paul Berg is an American biochemist who won a share of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1980. His development of a technique for splicing together deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from different types of organisms was one of the biggest contributions to the field of genetics in the 20th century. The son of a clothing manufacturer in New York, he developed an interest in science during his school days. An avid reader, he was deeply influenced by the books ‘Arrowsmith’ by Sinclair Lewis and ‘Microbe Hunters’ by Paul DeKruif which in part influenced him to become a scientist. The unwavering support of one his teachers also helped him to recognize his calling in the scientific field. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry from Penn State University and Ph.D. in biochemistry from Case Western Reserve University following which he began his academic career. He worked as a professor at Washington University School of Medicine and Stanford University School of Medicine where he spent several years of his career. He also served as the director of the Beckman Center for Molecular and Genetic Medicine. He continues to be active in research even after his retirement from his administrative and teaching posts in 2000.

// Famous Pennsylvania State University

Immortal Technique

Immortal Technique

Immortal Technique is a well known American hip hop singer. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about him.

Laurene Powell Jobs

Laurene Powell Jobs

Laurene Powell Jobs is an American businesswoman, founder and executive of Emerson Collective. Check out this biography to know about her childhood, family life, achievements and other facts about her life.

Ross Ulbricht

Ross Ulbricht

Ross Ulbricht is an American former drug trafficker and darknet market operator who is currently serving a life sentence. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, life, crimes and other facts about him.

Childhood & Early Life

Paul Berg was born on June 30, 1926, in Brooklyn, New York, as one of three sons of Harry Berg, a clothing manufacturer, and Sarah Brodsky, a homemaker.

He attended the Abraham Lincoln High School and graduated in 1943. His schooling years instilled in him a keen interest in scientific pursuits and cemented his ambition to become a scientist.

He served in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946 before furthering his education. He then entered the Pennsylvania State University from where he received a degree in biochemistry in 1948.

Proceeding to the Case Western Reserve University where he was a National Institutes of Health fellow from 1950 to 1952, he received his doctorate degree in biochemistry in 1952.

Career

From 1952 to 1954, Paul Berg did postdoctoral training as an American Cancer Society research fellow, working with Herman Kalckar at the Institute of Cytophysiology in Copenhagen, Denmark.

He also worked with biochemist Arthur Kornberg at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri from 1953 to 1954, and held the position of scholar in cancer research from 1954 to 1957.

In 1956, he became an assistant professor of microbiology at the University of Washington School of Medicine, a position he held until 1959 when he left to join the Stanford University School of Medicine as a professor of biochemistry. He would remain with Stanford until his retirement four decades later.

It was during the 1950s that Berg became seriously involved in research on RNA and DNA substances. He studied how amino acids—the building blocks of proteins—are linked together according to the template carried by a form of RNA, called messenger RNA (mRNA).

He was particularly intrigued by the structure and function of genes and experimented to combine genetic material from different species in order to study how these individual units of heredity worked. His investigations on the actions of isolated genes ultimately led to the development of methods for gene splicing of recombinant DNA. Berg then used this newly discovered technique for his studies of viral chromosomes.

His discoveries held tremendous potential for practical applications, one of the earliest ones being the development of a strain of bacteria containing the gene for producing the mammalian hormone insulin. The recombinant DNA technology also paved the way for a new medical approach to treating diseases by a technique called gene therapy.

Berg was the chairman of the Department of Biochemistry at Stanford from 1969 to 1974. In 1970, he was named the Sam, Lula and Jack Willson Professor of Biochemistry. He was also senior postdoctoral fellow of the National Science Foundation (1961-68) and non-resident fellow of the Salk Institute (1973-83).

He served as director of the Beckman Center for Molecular and Genetic Medicine from 1985 until 2000. He retired from his administrative and teaching posts in 2000, continuing to be active in research.

Major Works

Paul Berg is best known for his development of a technique for gene splicing of recombinant DNA. The first scientist to create a molecule containing DNA from two different species by inserting DNA from another species into a molecule, he made revolutionary contributions to the development of modern genetic engineering.

Awards & Achievements

Paul Berg was awarded one-half of the 1980 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for "his fundamental studies of the biochemistry of nucleic acids, with particular regard to recombinant DNA" while the other half was given jointly to Walter Gilbert and Frederick Sanger for "their contributions concerning the determination of base sequences in nucleic acids."

In 1983, Berg was presented with the National Medal of Science by President Ronald Reagan.

In 2005, he was awarded the Biotechnology Heritage Award by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) and the Chemical Heritage Foundation (CHF).

He was honoured with the Wonderfest's Carl Sagan Prize for Science Popularization in 2006.

Personal Life & Legacy

Paul Berg married Mildred Levy in 1947 and has one son.

// Famous Scientists

Juliane Koepcke

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

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

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.

Paul Berg's awards

YearNameAward

Other

0Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1980)

Paul Berg biography timelines

  • // 30th Jun 1926
    Paul Berg was born on June 30, 1926, in Brooklyn, New York, as one of three sons of Harry Berg, a clothing manufacturer, and Sarah Brodsky, a homemaker.
  • // 1943
    He attended the Abraham Lincoln High School and graduated in 1943. His schooling years instilled in him a keen interest in scientific pursuits and cemented his ambition to become a scientist.
  • // 1943 To 1948
    He served in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946 before furthering his education. He then entered the Pennsylvania State University from where he received a degree in biochemistry in 1948.
  • // 1947
    Paul Berg married Mildred Levy in 1947 and has one son.
  • // 1950 To 1952
    Proceeding to the Case Western Reserve University where he was a National Institutes of Health fellow from 1950 to 1952, he received his doctorate degree in biochemistry in 1952.
  • // 1952 To 1954
    From 1952 to 1954, Paul Berg did postdoctoral training as an American Cancer Society research fellow, working with Herman Kalckar at the Institute of Cytophysiology in Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • // 1953 To 1957
    He also worked with biochemist Arthur Kornberg at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri from 1953 to 1954, and held the position of scholar in cancer research from 1954 to 1957.
  • // 1956 To 1959
    In 1956, he became an assistant professor of microbiology at the University of Washington School of Medicine, a position he held until 1959 when he left to join the Stanford University School of Medicine as a professor of biochemistry. He would remain with Stanford until his retirement four decades later.
  • // 1969 To 1974
    Berg was the chairman of the Department of Biochemistry at Stanford from 1969 to 1974. In 1970, he was named the Sam, Lula and Jack Willson Professor of Biochemistry. He was also senior postdoctoral fellow of the National Science Foundation (1961-68) and non-resident fellow of the Salk Institute (1973-83).
  • // 1980
    Paul Berg was awarded one-half of the 1980 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for "his fundamental studies of the biochemistry of nucleic acids, with particular regard to recombinant DNA" while the other half was given jointly to Walter Gilbert and Frederick Sanger for "their contributions concerning the determination of base sequences in nucleic acids."
  • // 1983
    In 1983, Berg was presented with the National Medal of Science by President Ronald Reagan.
  • // 1985 To 2000
    He served as director of the Beckman Center for Molecular and Genetic Medicine from 1985 until 2000. He retired from his administrative and teaching posts in 2000, continuing to be active in research.
  • // 2005
    In 2005, he was awarded the Biotechnology Heritage Award by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) and the Chemical Heritage Foundation (CHF).
  • // 2006
    He was honoured with the Wonderfest's Carl Sagan Prize for Science Popularization in 2006.

// Famous Cancer Celebrities peoples

Jacob Elordi

Jacob Elordi

Jacob Elordi is an Australian actor. Let’s take a look at his childhood, family, personal life, career, etc.

Riele Downs

Riele Downs

Riele Downs is a Canadian-American actress & Musical.ly star. Let’s take a look at her family and personal life including age, birthday, net worth, boyfriends and fun facts.

Yammy Xox

Yammy Xox

Check out all that you wanted to know about Yammy Xox, the famous British YouTube Personality; her birthday, her family and personal life, her boyfriends, fun trivia facts and more.

Kaylee Quinn

Kaylee Quinn

Kaylee Quinn is an American dancer, model, and actress. Let’s have a look at her family and personal life including age, date of birth, net worth, relationships, and fun facts.

Sophia Montero

Sophia Montero

Sophia Montero is an American singer and YouTuber. Let’s have a look at her family and personal life including age, date of birth, net worth, relationships, and fun facts.

Domo Wilson

Domo Wilson

Check out all that you wanted to know about Domo Wilson, the famous American Vlogger & YouTube Personality; her birthday, her family and personal life, fun trivia facts and more.

Paul Berg's FAQ

  • What is Paul Berg birthday?

    Paul Berg was born at 1926-06-30

  • Where is Paul Berg's birth place?

    Paul Berg was born in Brooklyn, New York

  • What is Paul Berg nationalities?

    Paul Berg's nationalities is American

  • Who is Paul Berg spouses?

    Paul Berg's spouses is Mildred Levy

  • What was Paul Berg universities?

    Paul Berg studied at Pennsylvania State University

  • What was Paul Berg notable alumnis?

    Paul Berg's notable alumnis is Pennsylvania State University

  • Who is Paul Berg's father?

    Paul Berg's father is Harry Berg

  • Who is Paul Berg's mother?

    Paul Berg's mother is Sarah Brodsky

  • What is Paul Berg's sun sign?

    Paul Berg is Cancer

  • How famous is Paul Berg?

    Paul Berg is famouse as Biochemist