Otto Fritz Meyerhof (12 April 1884 – 6 October 1951) was a German physician and biochemist. In 1922, Otto Fritz Meyerhof was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Life and Career
Otto Fritz Meyerhof was born on 12 April 1884, in Hannover, Germany.
Meyerhof studied medicine at the University of Heidelberg and completed his doctoral Meyerhof conducted groundbreaking research on cellular respiration and the metabolism of carbohydrates in muscle cells.
In 1922, he moved to the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute (now the Max Planck Institute) for Medical Research in Heidelberg, where he continued his influential research.
His work demonstrated how glucose is broken down in muscles to produce energy, a process known as glycolysis.
Meyerhof’s research also elucidated the role of oxygen in cellular respiration, and he developed key concepts and experiments that contributed to our understanding of how cells extract energy from nutrients.
Otto Fritz Meyerhof passed away on 6 October 1951, in n Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Award and Legacy
- Otto Fritz Meyerhof was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1922 for his work on the physiology of muscles and the chemical processes involved in muscle contraction and energy production.
- He shared the Nobel Prize with British physiologist Archibald Hill, who had independently conducted similar research.
- This Nobel Prize recognized their combined contributions to understanding the role of oxygen and energy metabolism in muscle physiology.
- Meyerhof’s research significantly advanced our knowledge of cellular respiration, glucose metabolism, and energy production in living cells.
- His work laid the foundation for subsequent studies in biochemistry, particularly in the field of cellular metabolism.
- The concepts and findings from his research are fundamental to our understanding of how cells generate energy and have broad applications in physiology, medicine, and biochemistry.
- Meyerhof’s work continues to be studied and referenced in the field of bioenergetics.
