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American biochemist From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Karl August Folkers (September 1, 1906 – December 7, 1997) was an American biochemist who made major contributions to the isolation and identification of bioactive natural products.[2][1]
Karl August Folkers | |
|---|---|
Karl August Folkers | |
| Born | September 1, 1906 |
| Died | December 7, 1997 (aged 91) |
| Known for | vitamin B12 |
| Awards | ACS Award in Pure Chemistry (1941) Perkin Medal (1960) William H. Nichols Medal (1967) Welch Award (1972) Priestley Medal (1986) National Medal of Science (1990) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Biochemistry |
| Institutions | Merck University of Texas at Austin |
Folkers graduated from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Illinois in 1928. In 1986, the institution awarded him its Alumni Achievement Award.[3]
His career was mainly spent at Merck. He played a prominent role in the isolation of vitamin B12 in 1947, which is one of the most structural complex of the vitamins.[4] As a Merck Pharmaceuticals research team, Folkers, Fern P. Rathe, and Edward Anthony Kaczka were the first to isolate the antibiotic cathomycin in 1955.[5] His team also isolated the antibiotic cycloserine.[6] In 1958 his Merck team determined the structure of coenzyme Q10.[7]
He later served as director of the Institute of Biomedical Research at the University of Texas at Austin, where he was also Ashbel Smith Professor of Chemistry.[3]
In recognition for his scientific contributions, he received the Perkin Medal in 1960,[8] the William H. Nichols Medal in 1967,[9] the Priestley Medal in 1986, and the National Medal of Science in 1990.
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