Max Perutz

Max Perutz was an influential biophysicist known for his pioneering work in understanding the structure of proteins. He co-discovered the structure of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. Using X-ray crystallography, Perutz developed techniques to produce detailed images of protein structures, which advanced our understanding of how proteins function in living organisms. His insights into molecular biology earned him the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1962, significantly impacting fields like medicine and genetics by providing a clearer picture of how life’s building blocks operate at the molecular level.