Albert Neuberger facts for kids

Albert Neuberger (born April 15, 1908 – died August 14, 1996) was an important British scientist. He was a Professor of Chemical Pathology, which is a field that studies diseases using chemistry. He worked at St Mary's Hospital in London from 1955 to 1973. Later, he became an emeritus professor, meaning he retired but kept his title.

Early Life and Education in Germany

Albert Neuberger was born in a town called Hassfurt in northern Bavaria, Germany. He was the first of three children. His parents, Max and Bertha Neuberger, were religious Jewish people.

He studied medicine at the University of Würzburg in Germany. He earned a medical degree with the highest honors, called summa cum laude. He also took chemistry classes there. Albert Neuberger even worked for a while doing research in Berlin. There, he became lifelong friends with Ernst Chain. Ernst Chain later won the Nobel Prize in 1945 for his work on penicillin.

Moving to England and Career

Albert Neuberger realized that Hitler's government would be dangerous for Jewish people after Hitler came to power in 1933. Like many other Jewish thinkers, he moved to London, England.

In 1936, he earned his PhD from University College London (UCL). He continued his research there with Professor Sir Charles Robert Harington. When World War II began, he moved to the University of Cambridge. There, he took on Fred Sanger as his PhD student. They even published a paper together about the nitrogen found in potatoes. Fred Sanger later won two Nobel Prizes!

In 1942, Albert Neuberger returned to London. He worked at the National Institute for Medical Research. During the war, he spent some time in India. He helped the army as a consultant on nutrition. From 1950 to 1955, he was the Head of Biochemistry at the National Institute for Medical Research. After that, he became a Professor at St Mary's Hospital.

Awards and Family

Albert Neuberger received many honors for his scientific work. In 1951, he was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK. His son, Michael Neuberger, also became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1993. It's quite rare for both a father and son to receive this award!

In 1964, he was given the title of CBE. He was also a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal Society of Chemistry. He received other awards too, like the Heberden medal in 1959 and the Frederick Gowland Hopkins medal in 1960. He also received honorary doctorates from several universities.

Albert Neuberger married Lilian Ida Dreyfus in 1943. They had five children: James Neuberger, David Neuberger, Anthony Neuberger, Michael Neuberger, and Janet Neuberger. His brother was Rabbi Herman Neuberger.

See also

• The Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine