Piet Borst is has made major contributions to the fields of biochemistry and molecular biology. Borst's numerous achievements include the discovery of organelles (special structures found in cells) called glycosomes, and the formulation of what came to be known as the Borst cycle. Borst's research of mitochondrial biogenesis led to the discovery of circular mitochondrial DNA in yeast and animal cells and to microbiologists' extensive use of a method known as agarosegel electrophoresis of DNA. Throughout most of his distinguished career, the main focus of Borst and his research group has been two-pronged: the antigenic variation (process of using mutation to avoid destruction by the host's immune system) in African trypanosomes (parasites), and multi-drug resistance in cancer cells.

Borst received his Ph.D. (1961) and M.D. (1963) from the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. His interest in mitochondrial metabolism led Borst to a key discovery early in his career...