Ernest Hubert Francis Baldwin (29 March 1909 – 7 December 1969) was an English

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 (biology), cell parts. The word "biochemist" is a portmanteau of ...

, textbook author and pioneer in the field of comparative biochemistry. Born in

Gloucester Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city, non-metropolitan district and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West England, South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean ...

, Baldwin attended the Crypt Grammar School followed by St. John's College, Cambridge. He completed the

natural sciences tripos The Natural Sciences Tripos is the framework within which most of the science at the University of Cambridge is taught. The tripos includes a wide range of Natural Sciences from physics, astronomy, and geoscience, to chemistry and biology, whi ...

, specialising in

biochemistry Biochemistry, or biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. A sub-discipline of both chemistry and biology, biochemistry may be divided into three fields: structural biology, enzymology, a ...

for Part II. He won a 1851 Exhibition scholarship for 1933–1935, remaining at Cambridge to study biochemistry. His main influence there was the eminent biochemist

Frederick Gowland Hopkins Sir Frederick Gowland Hopkins (20 June 1861 – 16 May 1947) was an English biochemist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1929, with Christiaan Eijkman, for the discovery of vitamins. He also discovered the amino ...

; he also worked with

Joseph Needham Noel Joseph Terence Montgomery Needham (; 9 December 1900 – 24 March 1995) was a British biochemist, historian of science and sinologist known for his scientific research and writing on the history of Chinese science and technology, initia ...

and Dorothy Needham.S. P. Datta.
Baldwin, Ernest Hubert Francis (1909–1969), biochemist
, ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004. Accessed October 3, 2007.

Career

While at St. John's College and inspired by the broad biochemical interests of Hopkins and the Needhams, in 1937 Baldwin published ''An Introduction to Comparative Biochemistry'', an influential introductory textbook that went through four editions, the last in 1964. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Baldwin worked as an Air Warden. By 1946 Baldwin had advanced to the position of lecturer in biochemistry at Cambridge. In 1947, he published the first edition (of five) of ''Dynamic Aspects of Biochemistry'', a widely used (and translated) textbook that won the 1952 European Cortina-Ulisse Prize. Baldwin's research at St. John's from 1940 to 1949 focused on the roundworm ''

Ascaris lumbricoides ''Ascaris lumbricoides'' is a large parasitic worm, parasitic Nematoda, roundworm of the genus ''Ascaris.'' It is the most common parasitic worm in humans. An estimated 807 million–1.2 billion people are infected with ''Ascaris lumbricoides'' ...

''. He also spent the summer of 1948 at the

Marine Biological Laboratory The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) is an international center for research and education in biological and environmental science. Founded in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, in 1888, the MBL is a private, nonprofit institution that was independent ...

, studying

phosphagen Phosphagens, also known as macroergic compounds, are high energy storage compounds, also known as high-energy phosphate compounds, chiefly found in muscular tissue in animals. They allow a high-energy phosphate pool to be maintained in a concentra ...

in invertebrates. In 1949, Baldwin was Joint Honorary Secretary and member of the Congress and Executive Committees, active in the organisation of the First International Congress of Biochemistry, in Cambridge. In 1950, Baldwin moved to

University College, London University College London (Trade name, branded as UCL) is a Public university, public research university in London, England. It is a Member institutions of the University of London, member institution of the Federal university, federal Uni ...

, as chair of biochemistry. In addition to developing a biochemistry curriculum and managing new laboratory facilities, Baldwin's main areas of research at University College were comparative biochemistry, particularly in relation to

nitrogen metabolism The nitrogen cycle is the biogeochemical cycle by which nitrogen is converted into multiple chemical forms as it circulates among atmospheric, terrestrial, and marine ecosystems. The conversion of nitrogen can be carried out through both biologi ...

and ureotelic metabolism. With M. B. Donald, Ramsay professor of Chemical engineering, Baldwin set up a joint diploma, later a master's programme in biochemical engineering at UCL. His work was well regarded, especially abroad, and he held visiting professorships at the

Scripps Institution of Oceanography Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) is the center for oceanography and Earth science at the University of California, San Diego. Its main campus is located in La Jolla, with additional facilities in Point Loma. Founded in 1903 and incorpo ...

and the

University of Kansas The University of Kansas (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States. Two branch campuses are in the Kansas City metropolitan area on the Kansas side: the university's medical school and hospital ...

. Baldwin alumni include

Frederick Sanger Frederick Sanger (; 13 August 1918 – 19 November 2013) was a British biochemist who received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry twice. He won the 1958 Chemistry Prize for determining the amino acid sequence of insulin and numerous other prote ...

Personal life and death

Ernest Baldwin was born in Gloucester to Hubert Charles Baldwin, organist and music teacher, and Nellie Victoria Baldwin (née Hailes). In 1933 he married Pauline Mary Edwards, and they had two children, Nicola and Nigel St. John. Baldwin died of

congestive heart failure Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome caused by an impairment in the heart's ability to fill with and pump blood. Although symptoms vary based on which side of the heart is affected, HF typically pr ...

in 1969 after a prolonged struggle with

myotonic muscular dystrophy Myotonic dystrophy (DM) is a type of muscular dystrophy, a group of genetic disorders that cause progressive muscle loss and weakness. In DM, muscles are often unable to relax after contraction. Other manifestations may include cataracts, intel ...

List of works

* * ''An Introduction to Comparative Biochemistry'' (1937). Second edition, 1940; third edition 1948; fourth edition, 1964. * ''Dynamic Aspects of Biochemistry'' (1947). * ''The Nature of Biochemistry'' (1947) .

Collections

Baldwin's papers and correspondence are held at

University College London University College London (Trade name, branded as UCL) is a Public university, public research university in London, England. It is a Member institutions of the University of London, member institution of the Federal university, federal Uni ...

. They were transferred to the University in 1997, having previously been held by the

University of Bath The University of Bath is a public research university in Bath, England. Bath received its royal charter in 1966 as Bath University of Technology, along with a number of other institutions following the Robbins Report. Like the University ...

References

External links

Baldwin Papers
at

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baldwin, Ernest English biochemists 1969 deaths People educated at The Crypt School, Gloucester Alumni of St John's College, Cambridge 1909 births