Vincent du Vigneaud, an American biochemist, received the 1955 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for his breakthrough achievement of synthesizing oxytocin--a hormone released by the posterior pituitary gland used to induce labor and lactation in pregnant women, and for his work with sulfur. Throughout his career, du Vigneaud was recognized for isolating and synthesizing penicillin and the hormone vasopressin, which is used to suppress urine flow, identifying the chemical composition of insulin, discovering the structure of vitamin H, otherwise known as biotin, and his pioneering work with methyl groups.

Du Vigneaud was born in Chicago, Illinois, on May 18, 1901, to Alfred, an inventor and designer of machines, and Mary Theresa (O'Leary) du Vigneaud. Early in his high school education in Chicago's public school system, du Vigneaud demonstrated an aptitude for chemistry and physiology. He constructed a laboratory in his parents' basement, where he carried out his first experiments. Du Vigneaud enrolled...