Koshland, Daniel Edward, Jr.

▪ 2008

      American biochemist and editor

born March 30, 1920, New York, N.Y.

died July 23, 2007, Walnut Creek, Calif.

investigated the function of enzymes in the human body and set forth the theory known as “induced fit,” which held that enzymes sometimes change their shape in reaction to the chemicals they encounter. He later examined the behaviour of bacteria and was active in the field of bioenergy. Koshland earned a B.S. (1941) in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Ph.D. (1949) in organic chemistry from the University of Chicago. He worked (1951–65) at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, N.Y., and then returned to Berkeley as professor of molecular and cell biology. There he was instrumental in reorganizing the department of biological sciences. He concurrently accepted the editorship (1985–95) of Science magazine and expanded its scientific news coverage and lightened its tone with his satiric editorials in the voice of “Dr. Noitall.” An heir to the Levi Strauss jeans fortune with an estimated wealth of $800 million, Koshland funded numerous enterprises aimed at improving science education; he donated $25 million for a science museum at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C., and $23 million to Haverford (Pa.) College for the construction of a new science centre. He was the recipient of the 1998 Albert Lasker Award for Special Achievement in Medical Science, a 1990 National Medal of Science, and the 2006 Welch Award in Chemistry.

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