Herbert Boyer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Herbert Boyer
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Dr. Boyer in 1977
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| Born | July 10, 1936 Derry, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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| Education | Saint Vincent College (B.S., 1958) University of Pittsburgh (Ph.D. 1963) |
| Awards | National Medal of Science (1990) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Biology |
Herbert Wayne "Herb" Boyer (born July 10, 1936) is an American scientist. He is known for his important work in biotechnology. Along with Stanley N. Cohen and Paul Berg, he helped discover recombinant DNA. This discovery allowed scientists to make bacteria produce new proteins. It was a big step that helped start the field of genetic engineering.
Dr. Boyer received the 1990 National Medal of Science. He also co-founded a major biotechnology company called Genentech. He was a professor at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Later, he worked as a vice president at Genentech until he retired in 1991.
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Early Life and Education
Herbert Boyer was born in 1936 in Derry, Pennsylvania. He studied biology and chemistry at Saint Vincent College. He earned his bachelor's degree in 1958. The next year, he married his wife, Grace.
He continued his studies at the University of Pittsburgh. He earned his PhD in 1963. During this time, he also took part in the civil rights movement.
Scientific Career and Discoveries
After getting his PhD, Boyer spent three years doing research at Yale University. Then, he became a professor at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). There, he made a very important discovery. He found a way to combine genes from different types of living things. For example, he could mix genes from bacteria with genes from other organisms.
In 1977, Dr. Boyer and his team made a big breakthrough. They were the first to create a gene that could make a specific protein. This was a huge step for genetic engineering.
Creating Important Medicines
Using his new methods, Dr. Boyer achieved more success. In 1978, his team produced synthetic insulin. Insulin is a vital medicine for people with diabetes. In 1979, they also created a synthetic growth hormone. These achievements showed how genetic engineering could help make important medicines.
Founding Genentech
In 1976, Herbert Boyer teamed up with venture capitalist Robert A. Swanson. Together, they founded Genentech. This company was one of the first to use genetic engineering to create new medicines. Genentech's way of making synthetic insulin was very successful.
Support for Science Education
In 1990, Dr. Boyer and his wife Grace made a large donation to the Yale School of Medicine. Because of their generosity, the Boyer Center for Molecular Medicine was named after their family in 1991.
In 2007, his old college, Saint Vincent College, honored him. They renamed their School of Natural Science, Mathematics, and Computing the Herbert W. Boyer School.
Awards and Recognition
Herbert Boyer has received many awards for his scientific work. These awards recognize his important contributions to biology and medicine.
- 1980: Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research
- 1981: Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement
- 1990: National Medal of Science from President George H. W. Bush
- 2004: Albany Medical Center Prize (shared with Stanley N. Cohen)
- 2004: Shaw Prize in Life Science and Medicine
- 2007: Perkin Medal
See also
In Spanish: Herbert Boyer para niños
