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For his landmark work on the genetic code, Nirenberg was awarded the 1968
Nobel Prize in
Physiology or Medicine. He shared the award with Har Gobind Khorana of
the University of
Wisconsin and Robert W. Holley of the Salk Institute. Working independently,
Khorana had
mastered the synthesis of nucleic acids, and Holley had discovered the
exact chemical structure
of transfer-RNA.
NIH was particularly proud of Nirenberg's success
because he was the first NIH intramural scientist
to win the Nobel Prize. Some had doubted that
the government could produce innovative and internationally
recognized scientists, but Nirenberg and his colleagues
proved them wrong.
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Nirenberg and his colleagues celebrated upon hearing the news. |
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