Har Gobind Khorana was an Indian-American biochemist and geneticist who was known for his pioneering work on the synthesis of nucleic acids and the genetic code. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1968, along with Marshall W. Nirenberg and Robert W. Holley, for their work on the interpretation of the genetic code and its function in protein synthesis.
Khorana was born on January 9, 1922 in Raipur, British India (now Pakistan) and received his early education in Punjab before moving to England to pursue higher studies. He received his PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Liverpool in 1944, and then moved to the United States to continue his research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Khorana’s research focused on the biochemistry of nucleic acids and the genetic code. He was the first to synthesize a gene in a laboratory, and he also developed methods for the chemical synthesis of oligonucleotides, which are short sequences of nucleotides. He was also the first to demonstrate that the order of nucleotides in a DNA molecule determines the order of amino acids in a protein.
In 1970, Khorana joined the faculty at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he continued his research on the synthesis of nucleic acids and the genetic code. He also played a key role in the development of the field of molecular biology, and his work laid the foundation for the genetic engineering and biotechnology industries.
Khorana received many honors and awards throughout his career, including the National Medal of Science in 1966, the Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award in 1967, and the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1968. He passed away on November 9, 2011.
Khorana was the youngest of five children born to a family of farmers in Raipur, British India (now Pakistan). His father, Lala Hirachand Khorana, was a village school teacher, and his mother, Shrimati Krishna Devi Khorana, was a housewife. Despite the family’s humble background and limited financial resources, Khorana’s parents placed a strong emphasis on education, and all of their children were encouraged to pursue higher studies.
Khorana married Esther Elizabeth Sibler in 1952. They had three children together, Julia, Emily and Dave. His wife Esther was a biochemist and worked with him in his lab at MIT.
Throughout his career, Khorana was deeply committed to the development of science and technology in India and made significant contributions to the advancement of education and research in his home country. He established a number of research institutes in India and mentored many young scientists and researchers.
In addition to his scientific achievements, Khorana was also known for his philanthropy, and he used his Nobel Prize money to establish a number of educational and research institutions in India. He also supported many charitable causes, including the education of underprivileged children and the promotion of science education in developing countries.