Edwin G. Krebs
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1992)
Biography
Edwin Gerhard Krebs, born on June 6, 1918, in Lansing, Michigan, was one of the most influential biochemists of the twentieth century. After graduating from Urbana High School, he studied at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and then went on to medical training at Washington University School of Medicine and Washington University in St. Louis. His background in both medicine and biochemistry allowed him to connect clinical knowledge with molecular research.
Krebs devoted his career to exploring how cells control their activities. At the University of Washington, he focused on protein phosphorylation, which is key to cell biology today. He spent many years working with Edmond H. Fischer, studying how enzymes are activated and deactivated by adding or removing phosphate groups. Their work showed that phosphorylation is like a molecular switch, enabling cells to quickly adapt and manage complex biological tasks.
Krebs's contributions were acknowledged with numerous prestigious awards. He received the Canada Gairdner International Award in 1978, the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research, and the Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize in 1989. The highlight came in 1992 when he shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Fischer for their work on reversible protein phosphorylation. Other honors included the Welch Award in Chemistry in 1991, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and an honorary doctorate from the University of Miami in 1998.
Krebs continued his research and mentoring well into his later years, training many students who built on his scientific achievements. His work was fundamental to understanding signal transduction pathways, crucial for developing modern medicines and therapies. He passed away on December 21, 2009, in Seattle, Washington, after seeing his discoveries evolve from basic research into practical applications that improve human health around the world.
Before Fame
Growing up during the Great Depression, Krebs saw how important scientific progress was for improving people's lives. He went to school in Illinois during a time when American universities were expanding research and attracting top faculty. The 1930s and 1940s were a great time for biochemistry, as new techniques let scientists explore cellular mechanisms more deeply than before.
Krebs went to medical school during World War II, when the urgent need for medical advancements sped up biochemical research. The success of penicillin and other breakthroughs showed the practical value of understanding biological processes at the molecular level. This atmosphere guided him to focus on research instead of clinical practice, joining a generation of scientist-physicians who would revolutionize medicine through laboratory discoveries.
Key Achievements
- Discovered reversible protein phosphorylation as a fundamental mechanism of cellular regulation
- Won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1992 with Edmond H. Fischer
- Received the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research in 1989
- Established the theoretical framework for understanding signal transduction pathways
- Mentored generations of biochemists who advanced the field of cell biology
Did You Know?
- 01.Krebs initially planned to become a practicing physician but switched to research after being inspired by his biochemistry professors at Washington University
- 02.His Nobel Prize-winning research on protein phosphorylation began with studying a single enzyme, phosphorylase, in rabbit muscle tissue
- 03.Krebs served as a flight surgeon in the U.S. Navy during World War II before returning to academic research
- 04.He and his collaborator Edmond Fischer worked together for over four decades, maintaining one of the longest scientific partnerships in Nobel Prize history
- 05.The phosphorylation mechanisms he discovered are now known to regulate virtually every aspect of cell function, from metabolism to cell division
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine | 1992 | for their discoveries concerning reversible protein phosphorylation as a biological regulatory mechanism |
| Guggenheim Fellowship | — | — |
| Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research | 1989 | — |
| Canada Gairdner International Award | 1978 | — |
| Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize | 1989 | — |
| Welch Award in Chemistry | 1991 | — |
| honorary doctor of the University of Miami | 1998 | — |