Konrad Emil Bloch

Konrad Bloch 1963

Konrad Bloch with family 1964

Konrad Emil Bloch (January 21, 1912 – October 15, 2000) was a German-American biochemist. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1964, sharing it with Feodor Lynen for their discoveries concerning the mechanism and regulation of the cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism. Bloch's work laid the foundation for understanding the biochemical processes involved in the synthesis of steroid hormones and the metabolism of lipids.

Early Life and Education

Konrad Emil Bloch was born in Neisse (now Nysa, Poland), in the German Empire. In 1934, due to the rise of the Nazi regime and the enactment of the Nuremberg Laws, Bloch, who was Jewish, emigrated to Switzerland. He continued his education at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, where he received his diploma in chemical engineering in 1938. Bloch then moved to the United States, where he earned his Ph.D. in biochemistry from Columbia University in 1942 under the mentorship of Rudolph Schoenheimer, a pioneer in the use of isotopes to trace the metabolism of lipids.

Career and Research

After completing his Ph.D., Bloch worked on the Manhattan Project at Columbia University during World War II. In 1946, he joined the faculty of the University of Chicago, where he began his groundbreaking research on lipid metabolism. In 1954, Bloch moved to Harvard University, where he continued his research until his retirement in 1982.

Bloch's most significant contribution to biochemistry was his research on the biosynthesis of cholesterol. He discovered that acetyl-CoA is the building block of cholesterol and elucidated the steps involved in its conversion to cholesterol. This work not only advanced the understanding of cholesterol metabolism but also had implications for the study of steroid hormones and the development of drugs to control cholesterol levels.

Nobel Prize

In 1964, Konrad Emil Bloch was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine along with Feodor Lynen for their discoveries concerning the regulation of the cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism. Their work provided insights into the synthesis of cholesterol, a fundamental biochemical process that has implications for diseases such as atherosclerosis and heart disease.

Later Years and Legacy

After retiring from Harvard, Bloch continued to be active in research and education. He was a member of numerous scientific societies and received several awards and honors in addition to the Nobel Prize. Bloch's legacy is not only in his scientific discoveries but also in his role as a mentor to future generations of scientists.

Konrad Emil Bloch passed away on October 15, 2000, in Lexington, Massachusetts. His work remains a cornerstone of biochemistry and lipid metabolism research, influencing the fields of medicine, nutrition, and pharmacology.

See Also

• Biochemistry
• Metabolism
• Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
• Steroid
• Lipid