Morris E. Friedkin
University of California, San Diego
December 30, 1918 - September 19, 2002
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Scientific Discipline: Biochemistry Membership Type:
Member
(elected 1978)
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Morris Friedkin conducted research on metabolism. He illustrated the pathways of oxidative phosphorylation, examined metabolic reaction within the mitochondria, and identified and characterized deoxyribose-1-phosphate, an intermediate in pyrimidine synthesis. In addition, he discovered the role of folates in metabolism, which is important to the synthesis of folate analogs in chemotherapy.
After graduating from Iowa State University, Friedkin joined the penicillin production program at the Northern Regional Research Laboratory during World War II. In 1948, he received his doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Chicago. He traveled to Copenhagen to complete his postdoctoral fellowship and in 1949 he began teaching at the Washington University School of Medicine. He served as the Chairman of Pharmacology and Biochemistry at Tufts University School of Medicine. In 1969 he became a professor of biology at the University of California, San Diego.
