Hopkins, Frederick Gowland (1861–1947)

English biochemist who was awarded a Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1929 for his discovery of trace substances, now known as vitamins, that stimulate growth. His research into diets revealed the necessity of these vitamins for the maintenance of health. Hopkins shared the prize with Christiaan Eijkman, who had arrived at similar conclusions. He was knighted in 1925.

Hopkins also established that there are certain amino acids that the body cannot produce itself. Another discovery he took part in was that contracting muscle accumulates lactic acid.

Hopkins was born in Eastbourne, Sussex, and studied at the University of London and Guy's Hospital Medical School. In 1914 he was appointed professor of biochemistry at Cambridge.

Experimenting on rats fed on artificial milk, Hopkins noticed in 1906 that animals cannot survive on a diet containing only proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. When a small quantity of cow's milk was added, the rats grew. He concluded that the milk must contain accessory food factors in trace amounts, but he failed to isolate these.