Google celebrated the life and work of Har Gobind Khorana, PhD, an Indian-American geneticist whose pioneering research concerning DNA sequences earned him and two of his colleagues the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1968, with a Google Doodle Jan. 9.
Here are four things to know about Dr. Khorana.
1. Dr. Khorana was born in 1922, though he was unsure of his exact birthdate. As the youngest of five children, Dr. Khorana took an early interest in science, eventually obtaining an undergraduate degree and master's degree in chemistry. He also obtained a doctorate in organic chemistry from the University of Liverpool in the U.K., Vox Media reports.
2. He proceeded to conduct research at universities across the world, including institutions in Switzerland, the U.K. and Canada.
3. While at the Madison-based University of Wisconsin, Dr. Khorana and two fellow researchers began their study of DNA sequences. The researchers determined the order of nucleotides in a DNA strand are used to determine which amino acids are built. Dr. Khorana and his colleagues were jointly awarded the 1968 Nobel Prize for their work.
4. Less than five years later, Dr. Khorana successfully constructed the first synthetic gene. His work garnered him several awards and accolades, including the National Medal of Science in 1987.