Jeremy R. Knowles facts for kids

Jeremy Randall Knowles (April 28, 1935 – April 3, 2008) was a famous chemistry professor at Harvard University. He also served as the dean of Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) from 1991 to 2002.

Knowles joined Harvard in 1974. He received many awards for his important research. He stayed at Harvard until his death, taking a break from teaching for ten years to be the dean. He passed away at his home on April 3, 2008. In 2006, he briefly returned to his dean role.

About Jeremy Knowles

Jeremy Knowles was born in England in 1935. He went to Magdalen College School, Oxford for his early education. Later, he studied at the University of Oxford. He earned his first degree in Chemistry in 1959. He then completed his PhD in 1961.

During his time at Oxford, he was also a Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force. This means he was an officer in the British air force. He also did research on how chemicals react. In 1960, he became a research lecturer at Oxford.

His Work and Discoveries

In 1961, Knowles went to the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). He worked there as a post-doctoral fellow. This is a research position after getting a PhD. He worked with George S. Hammond, who studied how light affects chemical reactions.

Together, they found something amazing. Some reactions happen a million times faster with a helper molecule. These helper molecules are called catalysts. This discovery made Knowles very interested in enzymes. Enzymes are special proteins that act as catalysts in living things.

Enzyme Research

In 1974, Knowles moved his research group to Harvard. He became a professor there. His work was a mix of chemistry and biochemistry. He studied how fast enzymes work. He also looked at how specific they are. This means how well they pick out the right molecules to react with. He also studied how enzymes changed over time.

Early in his career, Knowles studied enzymes like α-chymotrypsin and pepsin. These are enzymes that break down proteins. They are not very picky about which proteins they break down. He researched why they were not specific. He also looked at how they sped up the breaking of protein bonds.

New Research Methods

In 1972, Knowles created a new method. It was called photo-affinity labelling. This method used light to create a strong bond. It could link a protein to another molecule. This helped scientists study how proteins work.

Later, Knowles started important studies on an enzyme called triosephosphate isomerase (TIM). This enzyme is involved in how our bodies get energy from sugar. It changes one molecule into another. Knowles used special techniques to measure the energy changes during the reaction. This helped him draw the first "energy map" for an enzyme reaction.

He worked with his long-time partner, John Albery, on this. Their map showed that TIM was a "perfect" enzyme. This means it works as fast as molecules can move around. Knowles also used similar methods to study other enzymes.

At Harvard, Knowles also did important work on β-lactamases. These enzymes can make bacteria resistant to some medicines. He also studied how certain chemical groups move during reactions. He used special forms of oxygen to do this.

Knowles wrote over 250 research papers. He also guided many students at Oxford and Harvard. Some of his notable students include Hagan Bayley and Stephen L. Buchwald.

Awards and Recognition

Jeremy Knowles received many important awards and honors. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK. He was also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Among his many awards were the Welch Award in Chemistry and the Nakanishi Prize. He also received the Davy Medal from the Royal Society. This medal is given for important discoveries in chemistry. He was also made an Honorary Fellow of two colleges at Oxford.

In 1993, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This is an honor given by the British monarch. In 1998, he became a trustee for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. This is a large medical research organization.

Royal Society of Chemistry – Jeremy Knowles Award (2014)

The Royal Society of Chemistry now gives out a 'Jeremy Knowles Award'. This award celebrates important research that combines chemistry and life sciences.

Family Life

Jeremy Knowles married Jane Sheldon Davis in 1960. They had three sons together.