Alan R. Battersby facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sir Alan Battersby FRS
Battersby in his office
Born	Alan Rushton Battersby (1925-03-04)4 March 1925 Leigh, Lancashire, England
Died	10 February 2018(2018-02-10) (aged 92)
Alma mater	University of Manchester University of St Andrews
Spouse(s)	Margaret Ruth née Hart
Parents	William Battersby (father) Hilda Rushton (mother)
Awards	Davy Medal (1977) Paul Karrer Gold Medal (1977) Royal Medal (1984) Tetrahedron Prize (1995) Copley Medal (2000)
Scientific career
Fields	Organic Chemistry Natural Products
Institutions	University of St Andrews Rockefeller University University of Illinois University of Bristol University of Liverpool Cambridge University
Thesis	Researches into the structure of Emetine (1949)
Doctoral advisor	Dr Hal T Openshaw
Doctoral students	Andrew D. Hamilton Craig Hawker
Influences	Alexander R. Todd

Sir Alan Rushton Battersby (4 March 1925 – 10 February 2018) was a famous English organic chemist. He was best known for his important work on vitamin B12. He helped figure out how this vitamin is made inside living things. He also studied how enzymes work in these processes.

His research group was also known for creating special chemical compounds. These compounds had radioactive labels that helped scientists follow how natural substances like alkaloids are made. Sir Alan won many awards, including the Royal Medal in 1984 and the Copley Medal in 2000. He was given the title of "Sir" in 1992. He passed away in 2018 at the age of 92.

Early Life and Education

Alan Battersby was born in Leigh, Lancashire, England, on March 4, 1925. He was one of three children. His father, William Battersby, was a master plumber.

At age 11, Alan went to Leigh Grammar School. His chemistry teacher, Mr. Evans, really helped him love chemistry. When he was 16, World War II was happening. He decided to work at a local factory for BICC.

He soon realized this wasn't the right path for him. So, in his free time, he studied hard at Salford Technical College. He earned a special certificate needed to get into university.

In October 1943, Alan started at the University of Manchester's Chemistry Department. He had won a scholarship to help pay for his studies. He graduated with top honors in 1946. He then received more awards that allowed him to continue his studies.

He earned his master's degree (MSc) in 1947. He then moved to the University of St Andrews with his supervisor, Dr. Hal T Openshaw. Alan finished his PhD there in 1949. After that, he became an assistant lecturer at St Andrews.

He also spent two years in the United States for more research. He worked at the Rockefeller University in New York. There, he studied peptide antibiotics. Later, he moved to the University of Illinois to work on other biochemical processes.

Later Career and Leadership

In 1954, Alan Battersby became a lecturer at the University of Bristol. He stayed there until 1962. During this time, he started his own research group. This group included students working on their doctorates and other researchers.

In 1962, he became a professor of chemistry at Liverpool University. Then, in 1969, he moved to the University of Cambridge. He became a professor there and a Fellow at St Catharine's College. A new professorship was created just for him at Cambridge.

In 1988, Professor Battersby was chosen for a very important position. He became the 1702 Chair of Chemistry in his department. He held this role until he retired in 1992. After retiring, he was given the title of emeritus professor. This showed how much he had contributed to the university.

Amazing Research Discoveries

Sir Alan Battersby published over 350 scientific articles about his work. His research, especially at Cambridge, often involved working with many other scientists. This was important because his projects were very big and took a long time.

His group included many postgraduate students and other academic staff. They received funding from various organizations and companies.

Understanding Alkaloids

Alkaloids are natural chemicals found in plants, bacteria, and animals. They often have strong effects on the body. For example, quinine is an alkaloid used to treat malaria. Before the 1950s, it was hard to figure out their exact chemical structure.

Sir Alan realized that new tools could help. These tools included mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. These methods allowed scientists to understand the structures of alkaloids much faster.

He then focused on how living things make these alkaloids. He used special "labeled" starting materials. These materials contained tritium or ¹⁴C, which are like tiny trackers. By following these trackers, he could see the exact steps in which alkaloids were formed.

His group studied many alkaloids. For example, they found that colchicine, used for gout, comes from certain amino acids. They also discovered how quinine is made, which was a big surprise!

The "Pigments of Life"

Prof Alan Battersby lecturing on porphyrin biosynthesis.

Sir Alan Battersby is most famous for his work on the "pigments of life." These are colorful chemicals that are very important for living things. They include heme (in blood), chlorophyll (in plants), and vitamin B12.

His team figured out the key steps in how these pigments are made. They discovered the roles of two important enzymes. These enzymes help change simple molecules into more complex ones.

The research involved using deuterium, tritium, and ¹³C as labels. This allowed them to track the chemical changes. Using ¹³C NMR was especially helpful. It showed how molecules rearranged during the process.

Prof Alan Battersby in his office in the Cambridge department.

His group even designed a special molecule that could stop one of the enzymes from working. This helped prove how the enzyme worked.

Later, they used genetic engineering to study how vitamin B12 is completed. By making bacteria produce more of the genes involved, they could see all the steps. This fully explained how vitamin B12 is made.

Studying Enzymes and Their Actions

This is a typical laboratory bench used by a PhD student in the Battersby group in 1976. It was located in Lab 122 of the chemistry department.

The Battersby group also worked on understanding how enzymes work at a very detailed level. They used their skills with tritium-labeled substances. This helped them explore how different enzyme systems function. They studied enzymes like histidine decarboxylase and tyrosine decarboxylase.

Personal Life

Alan Battersby married Margaret Ruth Hart in 1949. Margaret was a botanist, a scientist who studies plants. She passed away in 1997.

They had two sons, Martin and Stephen. They also had four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. In his retirement, Alan enjoyed hiking and fly-fishing. He also stayed in touch with his many friends and former students.

Awards and Honors

Sir Alan Battersby received many special awards and honorary degrees from universities. These included degrees from the University of St Andrews and Rockefeller University.

In 1988, he became an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 1990, he became a foreign fellow of the National Academy of Sciences of India.

In 1989, he won the Wolf Prize in Chemistry. He shared this award with Duilio Arigoni. They won for their important work on how enzymes work and how natural products, especially the "pigments of life," are made.

The Royal Society gave him the Copley Medal for his amazing work. They recognized his "pioneering work" in figuring out how plants make their main alkaloids. His approach was a great example for future studies on complex molecules. His research also fully revealed how vitamin B12 is made.

Images for kids

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  Battersby in his office

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  Prof Alan Battersby lecturing on porphyrin biosynthesis.

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  Prof Alan Battersby in his office in the Cambridge department.

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  This is a typical laboratory bench used by a PhD student in the Battersby group in 1976. It was located in Lab 122 of the chemistry department.

See also

In Spanish: Alan Battersby para niños