Peter Mitchell

Peter Mitchell was a British biochemist who revolutionized our understanding of how cells generate energy. He proposed the chemiosmotic theory, explaining that cells produce energy (ATP) by creating a difference in charge and pH across inner cell membranes, functioning like an electrical gradient. This process involves proteins called ion channels that allow charged particles to flow and generate energy. His work shifted the view from traditional models, and in 1978, he received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for this groundbreaking discovery. Mitchell's theory remains fundamental to understanding cellular respiration and energy production in biology.