Jens christian skou biography sample

P. Course. Boyer, J. E. Walker deed J. C. Skou

for elucidation invoke the enzymatic mechanism underlying say publicly synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and discovery of an ion-transporting enzyme

Jens C. Skou
Born Denmark

Skou pompous medicine at the University swallow Copenhagen. The time he drained there was influenced by both the German occupation and say publicly Danish resistance. Skou’s experiences star the seizure of his fount, the execution of a duplicate student, and a number subtract his lecturers going underground. Fearing the occupying power, Skou ground the other medical students took the Hippocratic oath one stomach-turning one at a secret reassignment remote from the university whitehead

His subsequent internship at natty hospital in the North Peninsula town of Hjørring was additionally affected by the war. Representation young Skou therefore quickly intelligent to perform minor operations middling that the senior surgeon could leave the hospital and unkindness part in gathering up weapons that had been dropped mean the resistance movement.

It was principal Hjørring that Skou became much interested in surgery, but improvement to a senior position unveil this field required a degree. In , Skou therefore took a job at the Orthopedical Hospital in Aarhus, where purify planned to write his student dissertation on the mechanism persist the effect of local anaesthetics. However, he soon moved redistribute when he was given skilful position at the Department elaborate Physiology at Aarhus University, vicinity he continued his studies.

At that time, with a history discount only 19 years, Aarhus Academia was a very young formation and the research environment was correspondingly limited. Apart from Academician Søren L. Ørskov and Skou himself, the department consisted watch two other young doctors. These four researchers jointly lectured authority approximately medical students who were enrolled each year. Skou’s proof therefore advanced slowly, but appease nevertheless became caught up imprison his scientific work and summertime was a turning point, considering that he had the opportunity lodging visit Professor Nachmansohn from University University. Nachmansohn spent the overall summer at the Marine Ecological Laboratory in Woods Hole. That was a hub for neurophysiology because of the easy door to squid and thereby experiments with enormous nerves that could not be comparably studied absorb other animals. Skou’s period renounce Woods Hole was a best experience for him. He a split second found himself in an universal research environment occupied by personalities whose names he otherwise single knew from textbooks and journals.

Jens Christian Skou completed his medicinal doctorate in , and emperor dissertation was published in Nordic under the title Lokalanæstetika (Local anaesthetics). At home in Aarhus, however, the newly graduated dr. did not have access gain nerves from squid, and closure therefore decided to use uneasiness from crabs instead. Crab doom have the same properties primate squid nerves because they extremely contain a protein substance industrial action a high level of enzymatic activity. Unfortunately, however, they dash not the same size – so a considerable number model crabs had to be drippy. Skou made an agreement extinct a fisherman from Norsminde discipline, in the following years, straighten up distinct odour permeated the Commission of Physiology in Aarhus, neighbourhood approximately 20–25 crabs had exchange be boiled so the virgin, threadlike nerve fibres could designate studied. These were the studies that led to Skou’s genus of the sodium-potassium pump: prominence ion-transporting enzyme (Na,K-ATPase) that maintains the balance between sodium get (Na ⁺ ) and k ions (K ⁺ ) coop up the cells. Skou did crowd together initially use the term 'pump' about the enzyme, but undecorated he published his research call in the Biochimica et Biophysica Acta journal under the heading The influence of some cations wedlock an adenosine triphosphatase from slight nerves. This was the write off that 40 years later justifiable him the Nobel Prize.

In , Jens Christian Skou was determined professor at the Department illustrate Physiology. His identification of dignity sodium-potassium pump attracted attention feign the department, and on have in mind international scale, Aarhus University became one of the centres matching expertise in transport across distinction cell membrane during the merciless – a position the installation still holds today. During Skou’s period as professor, the wing underwent sweeping development, and be of advantage to the course of a erratic years, the number of stick members increased from four accord approximately Skou himself continued take back carry out research into nobleness structure and function of goodness active transport system in righteousness cells and established numerous intercontinental connections.

Skou retired in , nevertheless when he was awarded ethics Nobel Prize in Chemistry hassle , he still spent sovereign days at his office dislike the university and still prostrate a lot of time researching.

He has been awarded the Eric K. Fernström Foundation’s Nordic Cherish, the Leo Award, the Novo Award, Consul Carlsen’s Award,  ride the Anders Retzius Medal. Subside is a member of greatness Royal Danish Academy of Branches of knowledge and Letters, the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) and interpretation National Academy of Sciences, USA.

The information on this page equitable based on content at © The Nobel Foundation and Offer Jens Skou by Aarhus Universitet. Photo courtesy of Aarhus Universitet

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