John Cornforth

John Cornforth was a distinguished chemist and Royal Society Research Professor at the University of Sussex (1975–1982). Previously, he held roles such as Professor of Molecular Science at the University of Warwick (1965–1972) and Director at Royal Dutch Shell’s Milstead Laboratory of Chemical Enzymology (1962–1975). He earned his PhD in Chemistry from Oxford University in 1941, following earlier scholarly roles at Oxford and the Medical Research Council.

His research focused on bio-organic chemistry, biosynthesis, penicillin chemistry, and glycochemistry, notably synthesizing abscisic acid, alkenes, and oxazoles. He received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1975) for his work on the stereochemistry of enzyme-catalyzed reactions. Other honors include the Copley Medal (1982) and knighthood (1977).

Cornforth was affiliated with prestigious institutions and academies, including the Royal Society, Australian Academy of Science, and National Academy of Sciences. His legacy includes the Cornforth Foundation for Chemistry, promoting chemical research.