Fritz Lipmann
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1953)
Biography
Fritz Albert Lipmann was born on June 12, 1899, in Königsberg, East Prussia (now Kaliningrad, Russia), to a middle-class Jewish family. His father was a lawyer, and his mother came from a family of scholars. Lipmann got his early education at the Collegium Fridericianum in Königsberg before studying medicine and biochemistry at several German universities, including the University of Königsberg, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Heidelberg University, and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.
After finishing his medical degree in 1922 and his doctorate in biochemistry in 1927, Lipmann started his research career in Germany, working with Otto Meyerhof at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Biology. His early research focused on muscle and phosphate metabolism, setting the stage for his later important findings. When the Nazis came to power, Lipmann, being Jewish, had to leave Germany in 1939 and moved to the United States.
In the U.S., Lipmann continued his research at Cornell Medical College and later at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. His biggest scientific achievement was in 1945 when he co-discovered coenzyme A, a key molecule in cellular metabolism and energy production. This discovery changed the understanding of how cells process nutrients and generate energy, playing a critical role in the citric acid cycle and fatty acid metabolism, essential for all living organisms.
Lipmann's work on coenzyme A won him the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1953, which he shared with Hans Adolf Krebs. Besides this, he also made significant strides in understanding ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and introduced the concept of high-energy phosphate bonds, represented by the squiggle (~P) notation still in use. In 1957, he joined Rockefeller University as a professor and continued his research until he retired.
Throughout his career, Lipmann received many honors and awards, including the National Medal of Science in 1966, election as a Foreign Member of the Royal Society in 1962, and honorary doctorates from top institutions like the University of Paris and the University of Aix-Marseille. He passed away on July 24, 1986, in Poughkeepsie, New York, leaving behind important contributions to biochemistry that still impact medical and biological research today.
Before Fame
Lipmann's rise in the scientific world began in post-World War I Germany, where he studied medicine and biochemistry during a time of intense intellectual activity in German universities. His early involvement in the then-new field of biochemistry, particularly under the guidance of Otto Meyerhof, influenced his focus on cellular metabolism. The economic troubles of the Weimar Republic and the growing focus on scientific materialism allowed young researchers like Lipmann to explore basic questions about life processes.
His early years coincided with significant advances in understanding cellular respiration and metabolism. The work of scientists like Meyerhof on muscle contraction and energy production laid the groundwork for Lipmann's later discoveries. His move to the United States in 1939, though personally difficult, placed him in American research institutions that were becoming global leaders in biochemical research, paving the way for his Nobel Prize-winning work.
Key Achievements
- Co-discovered coenzyme A in 1945, fundamental to cellular metabolism
- Won Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1953 for coenzyme A research
- Introduced the concept and notation for high-energy phosphate bonds in biochemistry
- Made crucial contributions to understanding ATP and cellular energy production
- Received National Medal of Science in 1966 for contributions to biochemistry
Did You Know?
- 01.Lipmann introduced the squiggle notation (~P) to represent high-energy phosphate bonds, a symbol still used universally in biochemistry textbooks today
- 02.He was forced to flee Nazi Germany in 1939, initially working as a research associate at Cornell Medical College for just $1,800 per year
- 03.Lipmann coined the term 'energy-rich phosphate bond' and calculated that ATP hydrolysis releases about 7 kcal/mol of energy
- 04.He continued active research well into his 80s, publishing scientific papers until just a few years before his death at age 87
- 05.Lipmann's laboratory notebook containing his coenzyme A discovery is preserved in the Rockefeller University archives
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine | 1953 | for his discovery of co-enzyme A and its importance for intermediary metabolism |
| doctor honoris causa from the University of Aix-Marseille | 1947 | — |
| Foreign Member of the Royal Society | 1962 | — |
| National Medal of Science | 1966 | — |
| doctor honoris causa from the University of Paris | 1966 | — |
| Humboldt Prize | — | — |
| Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts order | — | — |
| Humboldt Research Fellowship | — | — |