Max Perutz, 1914 - 2002

Max Perutz was the creator of X-ray protein crystallography, demonstrating that by introducing a heavy atom in a protein molecule it was possible to determine its 3-D structure. Born and educated in Vienna, he developed an interest in organic chemistry at Vienna University. In 1936 he moved to Cambridge to study for a PhD as part of J D Bernal's crystallography group at the Cavendish Laboratory. He remained in Cambridge for the rest of his life, building around him one of the most successful scientific research programmes of the twentieth century.

At the Cavendish Laboratory with the support of Professor Lawrence Bragg and with his first PhD student, John Kendrew, who joined him in 1945, he built up a group working on the molecular structure of biological systems which grew to four people in 1950 and to about 40 people by 1960. In 1962 Perutz's research unit merged with other groups from Cambridge and London and moved into its new home - the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology on the Forvie site (next to Addenbrooke's Hospital).

In the same year four of this group won Nobel Prizes - Perutz and Kendrew were awarded the Chemistry prize for their structural analyses of haemoglobin and myoglobin and Francis Crick and James Watson (with Maurice Wilkins) won the Medicine prize for their work on the structure of DNA. Over the years, the Laboratory has continued to be a prolific source of discoveries and inventions: Cesar Milstein and Georges Kohler's work on the creation of monoclonal antibodies; Aaron Klug's analysis of the organisation of nucleic acids in chromatin and other types of nucleic acid structure; John Walker's study of the protein ATP synthase and Fred Sanger's work on ways to discover the sequence of bases in nucleic acids.

As Chairman of the new Laboratory, Max Perutz oversaw its development until his 'retirement' in 1979. He continued to work in the Laboratory nearly every day. In more recent years, he worked on ligand binding to haemoglobin to help develop a clinically useful drug for increasing oxygen delivery to hypoxic tumours for radiation therapy, and to infarcted tissues. He also developed a strong interest in the structure of the polyglutamine tracts in Huntington's disease. In his youth, as a sideline, he also worked on glaciers. He studied the transformation of snowflakes that fall on glaciers into the huge single ice crystals that make up its bulk, and the relationship between the mechanical properties of ice measured in the laboratory and the mechanism of glacier flow.

He was a prolific and talented writer of popular articles and book reviews, many published in the New York Review of Books. He also wrote a number of books, including Is science necessary? and I wish I'd made you angry earlier which are collections of essays. Science is not a quiet life is essentially his scientific autobiography. His role as a public figure extended beyond the communication of scientific ideas - he was a passionate and articulate advocate of human rights, who spoke out on immigration reform, the political persecution of scientists and the upholding of international law.

<he is survived by his wife, Gisela, and two children, Robin and Vivien.

A man admired and loved by colleagues as much for his personal qualities as his scientific abilities, Max Perutz will be sadly missed by all those who knew him well. Some of those who worked closely with him pay tribute to the man who inspired generations of scientists.

Professor John Gurdon, Wellcome Trust and Cancer Research Campaign Institute of Cancer and Development Biology and Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge
"I regard Max Perutz as one of very few of the greatest names in Cambridge for all time. His own research, pioneering the understanding of protein structure by X-ray crystallography is world-famous. He initiated and led the establishment of the MRC Molecular Biology Laboratory in Cambridge, to make it what is widely regarded as the most successful and cost-effective research institute in any country.

"He established a style of informal leadership and personal accessibility admired by all levels. Until shortly before his death he continued to be highly productive in research, to write in a very stimulating and innovative way on a wide range of scientific and social issues, and to continue to interact at every level with members of his Institute.

"He will be remembered by those of us fortunate enough to have known him as an extraordinarily gifted, supportive and modest person setting a perfect example to be emulated.

Cesar Milstein
"Max was a real inspiration for all of us. His support to young people was memorable. I will never forget when I just arrived from Argentina and at tea time I was explaining that the editors of the Biochemical Journal had just returned a manuscript complaining about my English. Max was present (he loved to join the tables with young people) and offered to correct the paper! The effect it had on me was electric. The Head of the Lab, a Nobel Prize winner, offering to correct a paper by a newly arrived young hopeful that described work done in Argentina!

"Many more memories come to me at this moment of grief, including his enthusiasm and grasp for the importance of our first monoclonal antibody well before it was ready for publication. A non specialist that understood its significance much better than the referees and editors of Nature. We will all miss him very badly. He will no longer be in the canteen to ask what are we doing nor in the seminars asking those penetrating questions on all sort of subjects! Good bye Max, and thank you for everything."

Richard Henderson, present Director at MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology:
"A beautiful new Lecture Theatre has just been completed at the Laboratory for presention of research seminars and talks, which were activities close to Max's heart. Max had planned to open it by giving a talk on his most recent interest - in the structure of the polyglutamine repeats in Huntingtin, the protein of Huntington's disease. It has been named the "Max Perutz Lecture Theatre" and has a plaque which includes the motto he chose : "In Science, truth always wins".

Image courtesy of MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology