Edwin G. Krebs

Edwin G. Krebs was an American biochemist known for discovering how cells regulate muscle contractions and other processes through the addition of phosphate groups to proteins—a process called phosphorylation. His research revealed that phosphorylation acts as a molecular switch, controlling protein activity and therefore influencing cell function. Krebs’s work was fundamental in understanding cell signaling and regulation, providing insights into health and disease mechanisms. He shared the 1992 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Edmond H. Fischer for elucidating how reversible phosphorylation controls various biological activities.