Stephen J. Benkovic
Stephen James Benkovic (born April 20, 1938) is an American chemist. He is Evan Pugh Professor and Eberly Chair in Chemistry at Penn State University.[1] His research has focused on mechanistic enzymology and the discovery of enzyme inhibitors.[2] He was elected to the United States National Academy of Sciences in 1985 and received the National Medal of Science in 2009.
Stephen James Benkovic | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 20, 1938 |
| Alma mater | Lehigh University, Cornell University, University of California, Santa Barbara |
| Awards | Pfizer Award in Enzyme Chemistry (1977) National Medal of Science (2009) NAS Award in Chemical Sciences (2011) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | mechanistic enzymology, biochemistry |
| Institutions | Penn State University |
| Academic advisors | Thomas C. Bruice |
Biography
Early life and education
Benkovic was born in Orange, New Jersey. He earned his B.S. degree in chemistry and an A.B. degree in English literature from Lehigh University in 1960. He earned his PhD in organic chemistry from Cornell University in 1963.[3]
Career
Benkovic was a postdoc at University of California, Santa Barbara. There he and his advisor Thomas C. Bruice developed bioorganic textbooks that focused on enzyme catalysis. He joined the chemistry department at Penn State University in 1965. There, he uses the T4 DNA polymerase as a model system to explain the proficiency of enzymes.[3] He also uses the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase and the pathway for de novo purine biosynthesis to gain insights into enzymatic catalysis.
Awards and distinctions
- 1977 - Pfizer Award in Enzyme Chemistry from the American Chemical Society[4]
- 1984 - Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences[5]
- 1985 - Elected to the National Academy of Sciences[6]
- 1998 - Chemical Pioneer Award[7]
- 2000 - Christian B. Anfinsen Award
- 2002 - Elected to membership in the American Philosophical Society[8]
- 2003 - ASBMB–Merck Award
- 2005 - Nakanishi Prize
- 2009 - Benjamin Franklin Medal in Life Science[9]
- 2009 - National Medal of Science[10]
- 2010 - Ralph F. Hirschmann Award in Peptide Chemistry[6]
- 2011 - NAS Award in Chemical Sciences[11]
References
- ^ "Benkovic Lab". Benkovic Lab. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
- ^ "Stephen Benkovic honored". Huck Institute. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
- ^ a b Kresge, Nicole; Robert D. Simoni; Robert L. Hill (29 October 2009). "Investigations of the Inner Workings of T4 Polymerase: the Work of Stephen J. Benkovic" (PDF). The Journal of Biological Chemistry. The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc. 284 (42): e17–318. doi:10.1016/S0021-9258(20)38291-0.
- ^ "Pfizer Award in Enzyme Chemistry" (PDF). Division of Biological Chemistry. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
- ^ "Book of Members, 1780–2010: Chapter B" (PDF). American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved June 13, 2011.
- ^ a b "Stephen Benkovic Receives Hirschmann Award". The Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
- ^ "Chemical Pioneer Award". American Institute of Chemists. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
- ^ "Stephen J. Benkovic". Penn State Department of Chemistry. Retrieved 9 February 2011.
- ^ "2009 Franklin Institute Awards". The Franklin Institute. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
- ^ "The President's National Medal of Science: Recipient Details | NSF - National Science Foundation". www.nsf.gov. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
- ^ . National Academy of Sciences. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 8 February 2011.