Richard Kuhn
Biochemistry
Redpoint Research
Germany
Biography
Richard Kuhn was one of the most distinguished and successful biochemists of the 20th century. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1938 for his work on Vitamins and carotenoids. Being a German national, he was forbidden by the Nazis to receive the Nobel Prize so he received his diploma and Gold Medal after the World War II ended. He also discovered the nerve agent ‘Soman’, a highly toxic chemical, which is used as a weapon for mass destruction. Kuhn's areas of research covered theoretical problems of organic chemistry as well as extensive fields in biochemistry such as carotenoids, flavins, vitamins and enzymes). He also carried out very significant research on vitamin B2 and the antidermatitis vitamin B6.
Research Interest
He discovered 8 carotenoids, prepared them in pure form and determined their constitution. He discovered that among them, one was necessary for the fertilization of a certain algae.
