Kossel, Albrecht (1853-1927)

German biochemist who was awarded a Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1910 for his study of cell proteins and nucleic acids.

Kossel was born at Rostock, and studied medicine at Rostock and at Strasbourg. He continued with research into chemistry at Strasbourg until 1883, when he was appointed director of the Chemical Division of the Berlin Physiological Institute. He then became professor at Marburg (1895), and Heidelberg (1901), where he remained until his death. His important fundamental work on the cell substance nuclein showed that it comprised of both protein (sugar) and non-protein (nucleic acids). His later study of the protamines of fish roe led to the first real understanding of the gross constitution of a natural protein.