Albert von Szent-Györgyi Biography, Life, Interesting Facts

Albert von Szent-Györgyi is best recalled as a renowned American born physiologist who earned a Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology in the 1930s. Albert von Szent-Györgyi fascinated the world and beyond for his connection with the first catalysis such as the L-ascorbic acid (Vitamin c) and Fumaric acid. His study and discovery in regards to muscle contractions raised him to fame like no one’s business. Albert von Szent-Györgyi also cleared the way for Sir Hans study in regards to the Krebs cycle. Before the end of his career, Albert von Szent-Györgyi opted to study the primal cause of cancer. This paved the way for more works and publications including The Craze Ape and Introduction to Submolecular Biology.

Subsequently, Albert von Szent-Györgyi was an active participant in the Hungarian Resistance Movement. After the end of the Greater Hungary, Albert von Szent-Györgyi opted to taste the world of politics. In the middle of all, Albert von Szent-Györgyi was appointed as the leading Member of Parliament. Aside from earning a Nobel Prize, Albert von Szent-Györgyi was also a holder of the 1954s Lasker Award.

Childhood And Early Life

On 16th September 1893, a couple called Nicolaus von Szent-Gyorgyi and Josefine was blessed with a son in Budapest, Austria-Hungary. Albert von Szent-Györgyi was none other than Szent-Gyorgyi whose mother came from Lenhossek family. Not to mention his father owned a sizable land in Hungary.

Without a doubt, Albert’s invention started even before he was born. You find that his maternal grandpa, Joseph Lenhossek acted as the Professor of Anatomy. This is what made him to venture into the world of science since inception. Let’s just say that it was his calling and nothing else. Aside from the innermost talent that he gained from his ancestors, Albert von Szent-Györgyi also learnt how to play piano.

It was after the end of his college studies that he went to join his uncle Michael Lenhossek, at his small laboratory. In the course of the WWI, Albert von Szent-Györgyi went to serve as one of the Russian fronts. At the end of it all, he opted to concentrate on his studies. Without a humble please, Albert von Szent-Györgyi was forced to wound himself to escape from his duties. In 1917 Albert von Szent-Györgyi was released from the bar. After a successful turn, Albert von Szent-Györgyi traveled to Budapest to further his studies. While there he met upscale pharmacologists including L. Michaelis. Afterward, Albert von Szent-Györgyi joined the Institute for Tropical Hygiene where Albert von Szent-Györgyi majored in physical chemistry for two years.

Career

Early in 1920, Albert von Szent-Györgyi enrolled at the University of Pharmacology where Albert von Szent-Györgyi worked as a research assistant. For four years he served at the Physiology Institute in the Netherlands under H. J. Hamburger. In 1927 Albert von Szent-Györgyi traveled to Cambridge where he served under an English biochemist called F. G. Hopkins.

In 1930 Albert von Szent-Györgyi was appointed to chair the Medical Chemistry department at the University of Szeged. After a while, Albert von Szent-Györgyi was selected as the leading member of Organic Chemistry. It was in 1937 that Albert von Szent-Györgyi received a Nobel Prize in Medicine. It was the honor that he gained after his biological discoveries. The whole study brought forth special catalyses such as Fumaric acid and vitamin c.

In 1938 Albert’s research gave birth to complex discoveries including the protein actin and the study of muscle movement. In short, his findings proved that the combination of energy and proteins helps in muscle contraction. It was the only work that led to the establishment of muscle research institutes.

At the end of WWII, Albert von Szent-Györgyi was appointed as the Member of Parliament. It was during his tenure that he re-introduced the Academy of Science. This paved the way for more laboratories and biochemistry departments.

In 1947 Albert von Szent-Györgyi traveled to the United States where he launched an Institute called Muscle Research at Woods Hole in Massachusetts. There and then, Albert von Szent-Györgyi acted as the only director of the said organization. In 1948 Albert von Szent-Györgyi teamed up with the National Institutes of Health in Maryland where he served as a researcher.

Early in the 1950s, Albert von Szent-Györgyi opted to study the leading cause of cancer. After several years down the line, Albert von Szent-Györgyi received a Lasker Award. It was also the same year that was a given a full citizenship of the United States. In 1956 Albert von Szent-Györgyi was appointed as the member of the National Academy of Sciences.

From 1967 henceforth, Albert von Szent-Györgyi continued with his political ideals. His later works included the through investigations of free radicals as well as the leading cause of cancer.

Personal Life And Achievements

After receiving the Nobel Prize in Medicine, Albert von Szent-Györgyi was honored with Cameron Prize in 1946 followed by Lasker Award in 1954. In between his careers; he teamed up with countable of societies. Some of them include the Academy of Science, Harvard University and the University of Liege. When it comes to his personal life, Sir Albert von Szent-Györgyi married more than two times. To be precise, he married for times. He first tied a nuptial knot with Cornelia Demeny with whom he had a daughter.

Albert von Szent-Györgyi then married Marta Borbiro Miskolczy who succumbed due to cancer in 1963. His third marriage was to June Susan Wichterman, a biologist in 1965. The couple called it quit in 1967. In 1975 he married Marcia Houston, and the couple opted to adopt a girl child named Lola von Szent-Gyorgyi. It was on 22nd, October 1986 that Albert von Szent-Györgyi called it quit to the world in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.