Photosynthetica 2023, 61(1):108-114 | DOI: 10.32615/ps.2023.015

The life story of Albert W. Frenkel (1919-2015): a pioneer in photosynthesis research

G. GOVINDJEE1, S. FRENKEL2
1 Department of Plant Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Center of Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
2 9912 4th Ave., S. Bloomington, MN 55420, USA

In this historical perspective, we focus on selected discoveries that Albert Frenkel (1919-2015) made all by himself - single-handedly - which is the discovery of photophosphorylation and NAD reduction in anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria. Then, we present various aspects of his research life through his unpublished letters with some key scientists in his research field. To give a glimpse of his personal life, we have also provided some photographs.

Additional key words: Daniel Arnon; Margareta and Herrick Baltscheffsky; Allan H. Brown; Marie Curie; Robert Emerson; Hans Gaffron; Florence Hellman; Martin Kamen; Fritz Lipmann; Jack Myers; Josephine E. Tilden.

Received: March 26, 2023; Accepted: March 30, 2023; Prepublished online: April 4, 2023; Published: April 13, 2023  Show citation

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GOVINDJEE, G., & FRENKEL, S. (2023). The life story of Albert W. Frenkel (1919-2015): a pioneer in photosynthesis research. Photosynthetica, 61(1), 108-114. doi: 10.32615/ps.2023.015
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