Alan Walton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alan Walton
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Alan Walton, 2013
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| Born | April 3, 1936 Kings Norton, Birmingham, England
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| Died | July 4, 2015 (aged 79) Westport, Connecticut, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Awards | 2013 Richard J. Bolte Sr., Award for Supporting Industries |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Chemistry |
Alan G. Walton (born April 3, 1936 – died July 4, 2015) was a very smart scientist, a successful businessman, and someone who invested money in new companies. He was born in England and earned a high-level degree called a Ph.D. from the University of Nottingham.
He taught as a professor at Case Western Reserve University for twenty years. Later, he led a company called Oxford Bioscience Corporation. Alan Walton played a key role in creating and funding the Human Genome Project. This project helped map out all human genes. He also managed over $850 million for many companies through Oxford Bioscience. In 2012, Queen Elizabeth II gave him a special award, the Order of the British Empire. He passed away in 2015 at his home in Westport, Connecticut.
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Growing Up and Learning
Alan George Walton was born on April 3, 1936, in Kings Norton, Birmingham, England. He grew up during World War II. His earliest memories were of the Blitz, which was when bombs fell on British cities. He also remembered the tough times people faced during the war.
He went to Kings Norton Boys Grammar School. There, he first became interested in Chemistry. Later, he studied at the University of Nottingham and earned a degree in Chemistry. While at Nottingham, Alan played in a rock band. But he had to stop to focus more on his studies. He also joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. This is where he learned to fly a small plane called a DHC-1 Chipmunk. In 1960, he earned his Ph.D. in physical chemistry, also from Nottingham.
While in school, Alan married Jasmin Christensen in 1958. They had two children, Kimm and Keir. They were married until Jasmin passed away in 1970. In 1972, he married Nancy White, an archaeologist. They later divorced. In 1977, he married E.J. Egolf and adopted her two children, Kristin and Sherri. They stayed married for the rest of Alan's life. He died in 2015 at his home in Westport, Connecticut, when he was 79 years old.
Teaching and Achievements
After getting his Ph.D., Alan Walton moved to the United States. He first taught and did research at the University of Indiana. In 1961, he became a professor at the Case Institute of Technology in Cleveland, Ohio. He stayed there until 1981. In 1967, Case joined with Western Reserve University. This created Case Western Reserve University.
For some of his time there, from 1971 to 1973, he was a visiting professor at Harvard Medical School. While teaching, he earned another degree, a D.Sc. in biological chemistry, from Nottingham in 1973.
At Case Western, Alan Walton was a Professor of Macromolecular Science. His early research looked at how crystals form. In 1966, he became an associate professor and was given tenure. This meant he had a permanent teaching position. He became a full professor in 1971.
The next year, he worked with Helga Furedi-Milhofer on a research project. This project was with the Ruđer Bošković Institute in Zagreb, Yugoslavia (now Croatia). They wrote a book together called The Formation and Properties of Precipitates. It was published in 1979. Alan Walton wrote over 120 science articles and ten books. His work covered topics like aging, how blood works, and how genes are put together.
He was also part of President Jimmy Carter's Technology Transfer Committee from 1977 to 1981. This committee helped create the Bayh–Dole Act of 1980. This law allowed universities to sell or license new technologies that came from government-funded research.
In 1972, Alan Walton received the Israel State Medal. Other awards followed, including:
- The Sigma Chi Research Award for his science contributions (1974).
- The Rudjer Boskovic Institute Award (1979).
- The Richard J. Bolte Sr. Award for supporting industries (2013).
In 2007, he was named an Honorary Distinguished Adjunct Professor at Case Western Reserve University. In 2012, Queen Elizabeth II gave him the Order of the British Empire (OBE). This was for his "services to the UK biotechnology industry."
Alan Walton's research also led to two patents. A patent is a special right that protects an invention. His first patent was for new drug compounds. His second patent, from 1987, was for special mixtures that affected human skin.
Starting New Companies
Alan Walton first entered the business world with a part-time job. He started Biopolymer Corporation in 1978 while still teaching at Case Western. This company made and sold biopolymers. Many of his students worked there.
In 1981, Alan left teaching to work full-time in business. He started one of the first biotechnology companies, University Genetics. This company aimed to help universities turn their inventions into successful products. It had special agreements with many major universities. In an interview, Alan said his company would help raise money for university research. If good ideas came from that research, his company would earn a fee.
In 1983, University Genetics became a public company. This meant people could buy shares in it. Alan Walton helped the company focus on funding new start-up businesses. He also worked with venture capital firms. These firms invest money in new companies that have high growth potential.
Alan Walton left University Genetics in 1987. He then joined a venture capital firm called Oxford Bioscience Partners. He was one of the first professors of molecular biology to work in venture capital. This was important because he understood the science behind the new companies.
Alan's plan was to invest in new technologies from universities. These technologies needed strong patents. He would then use them to build new companies. Some companies Oxford Bioscience helped fund include Martek Biosciences Corporation, Geron Corporation, and Exelixis.
In 1992, Alan Walton, Wally Steinberg, and Craig Venter started Human Genome Sciences (HGS). This company aimed to use human DNA information to create new medicines. Around the same time, Alan helped Craig Venter set up The Institute for Genome Research. This was a non-profit group whose discoveries were used by HGS. HGS became a public company the next year.
An Adventurous Life
Alan Walton loved to travel and have adventures. He climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in 1989. In 2004, he skydived at the North Pole. He also went bungee jumping off the Bloukrans Bridge in South Africa in 2009. He even did a special high-altitude parachute jump from 29,600 feet. He was also part of the first group of people to skydive over Mount Everest.
Alan also kept flying small planes, using the skills he learned in the Royal Air Force. In 2004, he was one of the first 100 people to pay for a trip into space with Virgin Galactic. However, after many delays, Alan had to ask for his money back in 2011 because of his age.
Images for kids
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Alan Walton, 2013
