Martin Gibbs (November 11, 1922 – July 24, 2006) was an American

biochemist Biochemists are scientists who are trained in biochemistry. They study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. Biochemists study DNA, proteins and cell parts. The word "biochemist" is a portmanteau of "biological che ...

and educator who worked in the field of carbon metabolism. The Martin Gibbs Medal, an award honoring individuals in plant sciences, is named in his honor.

Career

Gibbs was born in

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

and educated at the

Philadelphia College of Pharmacy Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since 1 ...

. He obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in 1947. Gibbs went on to work as a scientist at the Brookhaven National Laboratory that same year. In 1957, he returned to academia as professor of biochemistry at

Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to ...

. In 1962, in the midst of his research, he accepted the role as editor-in-chief of '' Plant Physiology''. As editor he focused his strong inclination toward biochemistry on journal manuscripts and was able to significantly grow the journal. He eventually moved on to

Brandeis University Brandeis University is a Private university, private research university in Waltham, Massachusetts. Founded in 1948 as a nonsectarian, non-sectarian, coeducational institution sponsored by the Jews, Jewish community, Brandeis was established on t ...

becoming the Abraham S. and Gertrude Berg Professor of Biology and served as chair of the Department of Biology for three years. In 1993, the Martin Gibbs Medal, awarded to those who have provided significant contributions in the field of plant sciences, was created by the American Society of Plant Biologists to honor his retirement.

Career related

*Consultant National Science Foundation, 1961–64, 1969–1972 * National Institutes of Health, 1966–69 * Cosmos Club, 1984 *Marine Biological Laboratory, 1970 *RESA lecturer, 1969 *NATO consultant fellowship board, 1968–70 *Council International Exchange of Scholars, 1976–82 *Chairman of selection committee, Fulbright Scholars for Eastern Europe *Adjunct professor Botanical Institute, University Munster, Federal Republic of Germany, 1978, 1980, 1987 *Adjunct professor department botany University California, Riverside, 1979-1989.

Creative works

Author

*Structure and Function of Chloroplasts, 1970 *Crop Productivity-Research Imperatives, 1975 *Crassulacean Acid Metabolism, 1982 *Crassulacean Acid Biosynthesis and Function of Plant Lipids, 1983 *Crop Productivity-Research Imperative, Revisited, 1985 *Hungarian-USA Binational Symposium on Photosynthesis, 1986

Editor-in-chief

*Plant Physiology, 1963—92

Associate editor

*Physiologie Vegetale, 1966—1976 *Annual Review of Plant Physiology, 1966—1971

Awards

*Recipient Charles Reid Barnes award, 1984 * Alexander von Humboldt Fellow, 1987 *Adolph E. Gude award, 1993 *Martin Gibbs medal, 1993 *University Illinois Achievement award, 1996 *Bulgarian Academy Sciences gold medal *Recognized as a Pioneer Member of the American Society of Plant Biologists.

References

External links

The Boston Globe - ObituaryMaarteen J. Chrispeels, "Martin Gibbs", Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences (2016)
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gibbs, Martin Cornell University faculty 1922 births 2006 deaths Members of the French Academy of Sciences University of the Sciences alumni University of Illinois alumni Brookhaven National Laboratory staff Members of the United States National Academy of Sciences