English crystallographer, molecular biologist, and bio-chemist

Max Perutz transformed a fascination of geological processes and crystal structure into one of the fundamental techniques upon which modern molecular biology was founded. Ultimately, Perutz pioneered the use of x-ray crystallography to determine the atomic structure of proteins by combining two lines of scientific investigation—the physiology of hemoglobin and the physics of x-ray crystallography. His efforts resulted in his sharing the 1962 Nobel Prize in chemistry with his colleague, biochemist John Kendrew. A passionate mountaineer and skier, Perutz also applied his expertise in x-ray crystallography to the study of glacier structure and flow.

Perutz's work in deciphering the diffraction patterns of protein crystals opened the door for molecular biologists to study the structure and function of enzymes—specific proteins that are the catalysts for biochemical reactions in cells. Known for his impeccable laboratory skills, Perutz produced the...