Woodward, Robert B.

Woodward, Robert B. (Burns) (1917–79) biochemist; born in Boston, Mass. After graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he was affiliated with Harvard throughout his entire career (1938–79); because of the practical applications of his work, he would also serve as a consultant for various companies. During World War II he achieved the first synthesis of quinine, and he went on to become world famous for his synthesis of various organic compounds including steroids, alkaloids, chlorophyll, tetracycline, and vitamin B₁₂. In 1947 he joined units of amino acids into polypeptide chains; these would be used in the manufacture of plastics and artificial antibiotics. Beyond his specific discoveries, he changed the field of biochemistry by his application of the techniques of physical chemistry. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry (1965).