Emil Fischer
1852-1919

Generally considered the greatest organic chemist of his time, Fischer received the 1902 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on carbohydrates and purines. His discovery that phenylhydrazine reacts with carbohydrates to form osazones enabled him to elucidate the stereochemistry of sugars. First to synthesize adenine and guanine, he made the first synthetic nucleotides. Among many other contributions was his work on protein structure and synthesis, the "lock-and-key" model for enzyme reactions, structure of triarylmethane dyes, and the design of laboratory hoods and safety equipment.
Sponsor: John W. Frost
Location in chemistry building: First Floor; Room 138 North Wall; Sequence 5
Source: Kedzie Collection