Gottfried Schatz (18 August 1936 – 1 October 2015) was a Swiss-Austrian

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 ...

Life and career

Schatz was born in Strem. Upon obtaining his PhD in

chemistry Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a physical science within the natural sciences that studies the chemical elements that make up matter and chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules a ...

and

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 ...

at the University of Graz (

Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

), he did postdoctoral work at the

University of Vienna The University of Vienna (, ) is a public university, public research university in Vienna, Austria. Founded by Rudolf IV, Duke of Austria, Duke Rudolph IV in 1365, it is the oldest university in the German-speaking world and among the largest ...

and at "The Public Health Institute" of the City of New York. In 1968, he emigrated to the US in order to assume a professorship

Cornell University Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...

in Ithaca, New York. Six years later, he returned to Europe in order to join the newly created Biozentrum at the

University of Basel The University of Basel (Latin: ''Universitas Basiliensis''; German: ''Universität Basel'') is a public research university in Basel, Switzerland. Founded on 4 April 1460, it is Switzerland's oldest university and among the world's oldest univ ...

, which he chaired from 1983 to 1985, From 1984 to 1989 he was Secretary General of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO). After his retirement in 2000, he presided the ''Swiss Science and Technology Council'' (SSTC) until 2003. He is the author of more than 200 professional publications as well as of two books of essays on the broader implications of science. His scientific autobiography ''Interplanetary travels'' was published in 2000. Schatz died on 1 October 2015, aged 79.

Work

Schatz played a leading role in elucidating the biogenesis of

mitochondria A mitochondrion () is an organelle found in the cells of most eukaryotes, such as animals, plants and fungi. Mitochondria have a double membrane structure and use aerobic respiration to generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is us ...

and in discovering

mitochondrial DNA Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA and mDNA) is the DNA located in the mitochondrion, mitochondria organelles in a eukaryotic cell that converts chemical energy from food into adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Mitochondrial DNA is a small portion of the D ...

. He recognized that this DNA encoded only a small number of mitochondrial proteins which was decisive for his further research on the import of proteins into the mitochondria and the degradation of proteins within these organelles. Schatz discovered a complex transport system that recognizes mitochondrial proteins made in the cytoplasm by specific signals attached to these proteins and then transfers them into the mitochondria. This system comprises two protein complexes, TOM and TIM, which are localized in the outer and inner mitochondrial membranes respectively. Mutations in these complexes can disrupt protein import and cause illnesses such as the neurodegenerative Mohr-Tranebjaerg syndrome, which leads to deafness. Schatz also demonstrated that the energy-requiring protease Lon regulates protein turnover within the mitochondria, thus maintaining the integrity and the proper functioning of mitochondrial DNA. Gottfried Schatz is the author of more than 200 scientific publications, three volumes of essays, an

autobiography An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life, providing a personal narrative that reflects on the author's experiences, memories, and insights. This genre allows individuals to share thei ...

and a novel. His books have appeared in English, French, Greek and Czech translation.

Honorary memberships and prizes

* 1967 Innitzer Prize * 1983 Emil Christian Hansen Gold Medal, Carlsberg Foundation * 1985 Honorary Member, Japanese Biochemical Society * 1986

Sir Hans Krebs Medal The Sir Hans Krebs Lecture and Medal is awarded annually by the Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS) for outstanding achievements in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology or related sciences. It was endowed by the Lord Rank Centre fo ...

, Federation of European Biochemical Societies * 1985 Member,

German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina The German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina (), in short Leopoldina, is the national academy of Germany, and is located in Halle (Saale). Founded on 1 January 1652, based on academic models in Italy, it was originally named the ''Academi ...

* 1987 Foreign Member,

American Academy of Arts and Sciences The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (The Academy) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, and other ...

* 1988 Otto Warburg Medal, Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Germany * 1988 Member,

Academia Europaea The Academia Europaea is a pan-European Academy of humanities, letters, law, and sciences. The Academia was founded in 1988 as a functioning Europe-wide Academy that encompasses all fields of scholarly inquiry. It acts as co-ordinator of Europe ...

* 1989 Foreign Associate, US National Academy of Sciences * 1990

Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine Established in 1986, the Louis-Jeantet Prizes are funded by the Louis-Jeantet Foundation, ''Fondation Louis-Jeantet'' and awarded each year to experienced researchers who have distinguished themselves in the field of biomedical research in one ...

* 1991

Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class The Austrian Decoration for Science and Art () is a state decoration of the Republic of Austria and forms part of the Austrian national honours system. History The "Austrian Decoration for Science and Art" was established by the National C ...

* 1992 Prix Marcel Benoist * 1993 Schleiden Medal, Deutsche Akademie Leopoldina * 1993 Foreign Associate,

Austrian Academy of Sciences The Austrian Academy of Sciences (; ÖAW) is a legal entity under the special protection of the Republic of Austria. According to the statutes of the Academy its mission is to promote the sciences and humanities in every respect and in every fi ...

* 1994 Member, North Rhine-Westphalia Academy for Sciences and Arts * 1996 Honorary Doctorate, Comenius University in Bratislava * 1997 Lynen Medal,

University of Miami The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private university, private research university in Coral Gables, Florida, United States. , the university enrolled 19,852 students in two colleges and ten schools across over ...

, USA * 1997 Foreign Member,

Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences () is one of the Swedish Royal Academies, royal academies of Sweden. Founded on 2 June 1739, it is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization that takes special responsibility for promoting nat ...

* 1998 Gairdner Foundation International Award, Toronto * 1998 Foreign Member,

Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (, KNAW) is an organization dedicated to the advancement of science and literature in the Netherlands. The academy is housed in the Trippenhuis in Amsterdam. In addition to various advisory a ...

* 2000 Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver for Services to the Republic of Austria * 2000 Honorary Doctorate,

Stockholm University Stockholm University (SU) () is a public university, public research university in Stockholm, Sweden, founded as a college in 1878, with university status since 1960. With over 33,000 students at four different faculties: law, humanities, social ...

* 2000 E. B. Wilson Medal, American Society of Cell Biology * 2004 Feltrinelli Prize, Rome * 2006 Reinach Prize * 2008 Fellow of the

American Association for the Advancement of Science The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is a United States–based international nonprofit with the stated mission of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsib ...

* 2009

Austrian Decoration for Science and Art The Austrian Decoration for Science and Art () is a state decoration of the Republic of Austria and forms part of the Orders, decorations, and medals of Austria, Austrian national honours system. History The "Austrian Decoration for Science a ...

* 2009 European Prize for Culture in Science, European Foundation for Culture «Pro Europa» *2010 International Austrian of the Year

References

Books for a general audience

* Gottfried Schatz: ''Feuersucher: Die Jagd nach dem Geheimnis der Lebensenergie'' – NZZ Buchverlag, Zürich, 2011 – * Gottfried Schatz: ''A Matter of Wonder. What Biology Reveals about Us, Our World, and Our Dreams'' (Translated by A. Shields). S. Karger AG, Basel, 2011 – * Gottfried Schatz: ''Jeff’s View on Science and Scientists'',. Elsevier BV/FEBS 2006 – * Gottfried Schatz: ''Jenseits der Gene. Essays über unser Wesen, unsere Welt und unsere Träume'', NZZ Libro, 2012 (4. Aufl.) – ; ''Audio Version on CD:'' Kein & Aber, 2008 – * Gottfried Schatz: ''Die Welt in der wir leben: Ein Biologe über unser Wesen, unsere Träume und den Grund der Dinge'' – Herder, 2010 – (vergriffen). * Gottfried Schatz: ''Feuersucher: Die Jagd nach dem Geheimnis der Lebensenergie.'' NZZ Libro, Zürich 2011, . * Gottfried Schatz: ''Zaubergarten Biologie. Wie biologische Entdeckungen unser Menschenbild prägen.'' NZZ Libro, Zürich 2012, * Postdoc, Roman, Styria-Verlag, 2015,

External links

* *
Gottfried Schatz: List of professional publications
(pdf)

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20080622041320/http://www.biozentrum.unibas.ch/emeritus/schatz/index_d.html Gottfried Schatz: Homepage / Extended CV – Biozentrum Basel {{DEFAULTSORT:Schatz, Gottfried 1936 births 2015 deaths Austrian biochemists Swiss biochemists Cornell University faculty Academic staff of the University of Basel Foreign associates of the National Academy of Sciences Members of Academia Europaea Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Members of the European Molecular Biology Organization Members of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences Recipients of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria Recipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and Art Biozentrum University of Basel Schleiden Medal recipients