Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy serves as the primary instrument in Kurt Wüthrich’s investigation of biological macromolecules. By utilizing this technique, he enabled the determination of three-dimensional protein structures in solution. His methodology transformed the field of biophysics, providing tools for measuring distances within complex molecules that were previously inaccessible to standard observational techniques in chemistry and physics.
Academic Foundation
Born in Aarberg, Switzerland, on 4 October 1938, Wüthrich studied mathematics, physics, and chemistry at the University of Bern between 1957 and 1962. He completed his doctoral studies at the University of Basel under the supervision of Silvio Fallab, receiving his degree in 1964. His early thesis focused on the catalytic activity of copper compounds during autoxidation processes, utilizing electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy.
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Following a postdoctoral period at the University of California, Berkeley, where he worked with Robert E. Connick, Wüthrich joined Bell Telephone Laboratories in 1967. During his two-year tenure there, he operated superconducting NMR spectrometers to analyze protein dynamics. Upon returning to Switzerland in 1969 to join ETH Zürich, he collaborated with Richard R. Ernst to pioneer two-dimensional NMR experiments and established the nuclear Overhauser effect as a method for internal protein distance measurement.
International Research and Professional Roles
Wüthrich ascended to Professor of Biophysics at ETH Zürich by 1980. His research activities expanded globally, including visiting positions at the University of Edinburgh, Yonsei University, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He maintains ongoing laboratory responsibilities at iHuman Institute of ShanghaiTech University, The Scripps Research Institute, and ETH Zürich. As of April 2018, he holds permanent residency in Shanghai.
Scientific Recognition
The scientific community recognized his contributions through numerous accolades, culminating in the 2002 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Earlier awards include the Marcel Benoist Prize and the Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize in 1991, the Kyoto Prize in 1998, and the Otto Warburg Medal in 1999. He is a member of multiple scientific institutions, including the French Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences, and the Royal Society.
Fast facts
- Born: 4 October 1938, Aarberg, Switzerland
- Nobel Prize in Chemistry: 2002
- Kyoto Prize in Advanced Technology: 1998
- Citizenship: Switzerland
- Languages: German, English
- Religion: Reformed
Questions readers ask
What is the focus of Wüthrich's research?
He specializes in using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to determine the three-dimensional structures of biological macromolecules in solution.
Where does Wüthrich currently conduct his research?
He maintains laboratories at ETH Zürich, The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, and the iHuman Institute at ShanghaiTech University.
Achievements
- Nobel Prize in Chemistry — 2002
- Kyoto Prize in Advanced Technology — 1998
- Affiliated with Duke University, University of Edinburgh and ETH Zurich
- Educated at University of Basel
- Worked as chemist, biophysicist and university teacher
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