Max Bergmann
Encyclopedia
Max Bergmann was a Jewish-German
biochemist
. He was the first to use the Carboxybenzyl
protecting group
for the synthesis of oligopeptides.
, Bavaria
, Germany
on February 12, 1886.
After he received his Ph.D, in 1911, he became the assistant to Hermann Emil Fischer
at the University of Berlin, where he stayed until the Fischer's suicide in 1919.
Bergmann was the first director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Leather Research in Dresden
, which was created in 1921 and upon which the Max-Planck-Institute was based. He developed the Bergmann-Zervas carbobenzoxy method for the synthesis of polypeptides.
His is considered a pioneer of applied sciences. He specialized in decoding protein
and peptide
structures. He also researched their synthesis.
Bergmann left Germany and his institute in the year 1933 and was active thereafter at Rockefeller University
in New York
. There he was the main scientist for protein chemistry and contributed considerably to the fact that the United States reached a top position in the area of molecular biology
. Two eventual Nobel Prize
winners (William Howard Stein
and Stanford Moore
) worked in his laboratory.
Bergmann died in the Mount Sinai Hospital
, New York
, on November 7, 1944.
In the year 2002 in Dresden, the Max Bergmann Center was created.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
biochemist
Biochemist
Biochemists are scientists who are trained in biochemistry. Typical biochemists study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. The prefix of "bio" in "biochemist" can be understood as a fusion of "biological chemist."-Role:...
. He was the first to use the Carboxybenzyl
Carboxybenzyl
Carboxybenzyl or Cbz or Z is an amine protecting group in organic synthesis. It is commonly used in peptide synthesis and is formed by reacting an amine with benzyl chloroformate and a weak base:It is used to protect amines from electrophiles...
protecting group
Protecting group
A protecting group or protective group is introduced into a molecule by chemical modification of a functional group in order to obtain chemoselectivity in a subsequent chemical reaction...
for the synthesis of oligopeptides.
Life and work
Bergmann was born in FürthFürth
The city of Fürth is located in northern Bavaria, Germany in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. It is now contiguous with the larger city of Nuremberg, the centres of the two cities being only 7 km apart....
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
on February 12, 1886.
After he received his Ph.D, in 1911, he became the assistant to Hermann Emil Fischer
Hermann Emil Fischer
Hermann Emil Fischer, Emil Fischer was a German chemist and 1902 recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He discovered the Fischer esterification. He developed the Fischer projection, a symbolic way of drawing asymmetric carbon atoms.-Early years:Fischer was born in Euskirchen, near Cologne,...
at the University of Berlin, where he stayed until the Fischer's suicide in 1919.
Bergmann was the first director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Leather Research in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, which was created in 1921 and upon which the Max-Planck-Institute was based. He developed the Bergmann-Zervas carbobenzoxy method for the synthesis of polypeptides.
His is considered a pioneer of applied sciences. He specialized in decoding protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
and peptide
Peptide
Peptides are short polymers of amino acid monomers linked by peptide bonds. They are distinguished from proteins on the basis of size, typically containing less than 50 monomer units. The shortest peptides are dipeptides, consisting of two amino acids joined by a single peptide bond...
structures. He also researched their synthesis.
Bergmann left Germany and his institute in the year 1933 and was active thereafter at Rockefeller University
Rockefeller University
The Rockefeller University is a private university offering postgraduate and postdoctoral education. It has a strong concentration in the biological sciences. It is also known for producing numerous Nobel laureates...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. There he was the main scientist for protein chemistry and contributed considerably to the fact that the United States reached a top position in the area of molecular biology
Molecular biology
Molecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry...
. Two eventual Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
winners (William Howard Stein
William Howard Stein
-External links:* Stein's * Stein's Nobel Lecture...
and Stanford Moore
Stanford Moore
Stanford Moore was a U.S. biochemist. He shared a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1972 Stanford Moore (September 4, 1913 – August 23, 1982) was a U.S. biochemist. He shared a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1972 Stanford Moore (September 4, 1913 – August 23, 1982) was a U.S. biochemist. He...
) worked in his laboratory.
Bergmann died in the Mount Sinai Hospital
Mount Sinai Hospital, New York
Mount Sinai Hospital, founded in 1852, is one of the oldest and largest teaching hospitals in the United States. In 2011-2012, Mount Sinai Hospital was ranked as one of America's best hospitals by U.S...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, on November 7, 1944.
In the year 2002 in Dresden, the Max Bergmann Center was created.