1917-

English Physiologist

Sir Andrew Fielding Huxley received the Nobel Prize in medicine for his work on the chemical properties of nerve and muscle impulses. This work has influenced and furthered research into nerve disorders and brought insight into how the brain works.

Andrew Fielding Huxley. (The Library of Congress. Reproduced by permission.)

Andrew Huxley was born in London on November 27, 1917. He had two brothers, Julian (1887-1975), a well-known scientist, and Aldous (1894-1963), author of the classic novel Brave New World. Andrew came from a long lineage of scientists and writers. Both his father and grandfather had strong science backgrounds and introduced the young Huxley to their enthusiasm for creative thinking, scientific research, and writing. Being mechanically minded, he enjoyed building and using microscopes throughout his secondary school years.

Interestingly, Huxley entered Cambridge University's Trinity College with the intent to study literature...