Harold Edwin Umbarger

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Harold Edwin Umbarger (17 July 1921, Shelby, Ohio – 15 November 1999, Carmel, Indiana) was an American bacteriologist and biochemist.

Biography[]

H. Edwin Umbarger grew up in Mansfield, Ohio and graduated from Mansfield Senior High School in 1939. At Ohio University he graduated with a bachelor's degree in chemistry in 1943 and a master's degree in zoology in 1944. For two years from 1944 to 1946 he served in the U.S. Navy as a hospital corpsman.[1] In 1945 he served aboard the USS Rescue.[2] In 1950 he received a Ph.D. in bacteriology from Harvard University.[1] His doctoral thesis, supervised by ,[3] is entitled Studies on the Interactions Involved in the Biosynthetic Mechanisms of Isoleucine and Valine in Escherichia Coli.[4] From 1950 to 1959 Umbarger did research at Harvard.[1] From 1957 to 1960 he was an assistant professor of bacteriology and Immunology at Harvard Medical School,[5] but he was untenured. For the academic year 1959-1960, on leave of absence from Harvard, he worked at several laboratories in England. From 1960 to 1964 he held the appointment of Staff Investigator at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.[5] At Purdue University he was appointed in 1964 a full professor and in 1970 Wright Distinguished Professor of Biological Sciences. He held that professorship until his retirement.[1]

Umbarger was a leading expert on biosynthesis of amino acids in bacteria. He is perhaps best known as the co-discoverer, with Edward A. Adelberg in 1953, of feedback inhibition in enzymology.[2][6]

H(arold) Edwin Umbarger had a major role in defining the pathways that living organisms employ to produce branched-chain amino acids (L-leucine, L-isoleucine, and L-valine), which are required in all proteins. He also played a pivotal role in identifying the biochemical mechanisms that bacterial and yeast cells use to modulate the synthesis of these amino acids in order to match their utilization in protein synthesis.[1]

While he was still a student, Umbarger married Merle Gladys Abele (1922–1993). They had three daughters. In 1995 he married his second wife.[5]

Awards and honors[]

Selected publications[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Neidhardt, Frederick C. (2014). "H. Edwin Umbarger 1921–1995" (PDF). Biographical Memoirs. National Academy of Science.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Kresge, Nicole; Simoni, Robert D.; Hill, Robert L. (December 30, 2005). "H. Edwin Umbarger's Contributions to the Discovery of Feedback Inhibition" (PDF). Journal of Biological Chemistry. 280 (52): e49–e50.
  3. ^ "Harold Edwin Umbarger". Microtree (academictree.org).
  4. ^ "Harvard University. Report of the President of Harvard College and reports of departments".
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Obituary. H. Edwin Umbarger (availaber at roots web.com)". Mansfield News Journal. 17 November 1999.
  6. ^ Adelberg, Edward A.; Umbarger, H. Edwin (1953). "Isoleucine and valine metabolism in Escherichia coli. V. α-ketoisovaleric acid accumulation". Journal of Biological Chemistry. 205 (1): 475–482.
  7. ^ "Harold Edwin Umbarger". John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation.
  8. ^ "Book of Members 1780–present, Chapter U" (PDF). American Academy of Arts and Sciences (amacad.org).
  9. ^ "Past Winners – Rosenstiel Award – Rosenstiel Basic Medical Sciences Research Center – Brandeis University". brandeis.edu.
  10. ^ "Purdue trustees confirm four distinguished professors". Purdue News (purdue.edu). July 9, 1999.
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