Herbert Hauptman: 1985 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
In this episode of Innovation Unedited, Maxwell Berkow and host Sasha Whittaker discus the life and career of the 1985 Nobel Prize in Chemistry recipient, Herbert Hauptman. The huge impact of Hauptman’s research on the medical industry has made him an icon of modern chemistry. The two speakers are joined by Professor Angelo Lampousis, ITF Aaron Kendall, and the Macaulay Honors students of the Macaulay Honors Seminar 3 Science and Technology in NYC class. Thank you to WHCR 90.3 FM The Voice of Harlem for letting us use their space to film.
The common saying, “knowledge is power,” is often applied to the field of science, but it would be difficult to find a more applicable use than when describing the work of Herbert Hauptman. Using his research to identify the structures of molecules, scientists have engineered all of today’s invaluable drugs. Although the common man may not know it, he or someone he knows has had their life saved by Hauptman. Whether this lack of appreciation is due to Hauptman’s humble nature or the public’s inattention to the scientific research that keeps them alive, this man has helped to drastically increase U.S. life expectancy by ten years. To read more click here.
Did his parents support his interest in mathematics? Did Hauptman have any mentors to guide him through his career?
I am sorry but I could not find any information on his parents besides their names, Israel Hauptman and Leah Rosenfield. That being said, I would assume that a child whose “interest in most areas of science and mathematics began at an early age, as soon as [he] has learned to read” would have parents that supported his education.
Did his discovery improve the methods of disease diagnosis?
I do not know how his research has directly impacted disease diagnosis but I can only assume that being able to find the structure of a molecule inside the human body can help.
what is this research used for today?
His research has led to the main process for determining the structure of a molecule. This allows researchers to learn a lot about molecules in the body that they can then create specific drugs to target. In an interview with the Associated Press, Eaton Lattman, chief executive of the Hauptman-Woodward Institute stated, “I don’t think there’s a single pharmaceutical that’s been developed in the last 30 years that hasn’t been studied using derivations of what Dr. Hauptman and his colleagues won the Nobel Prize for.”
What did his discoveries mean for the world of science?
His research has led to the main process for determining the structure of a molecule. This allows researchers to learn a lot about molecules in the body that they can then create specific drugs to target. In an interview with the Associated Press, Eaton Lattman, chief executive of the Hauptman-Woodward Institute stated, “I don’t think there’s a single pharmaceutical that’s been developed in the last 30 years that hasn’t been studied using derivations of what Dr. Hauptman and his colleagues won the Nobel Prize for.”
Did World War II have any impact on his research or life?
In between the time of his Master’s degree and Ph.D., Hauptman was a weather forecaster for the Navy. His research with Karle that led to his Nobel Prize and Ph.D. was done at the Naval Research Center in Washington D.C.
Did Hauptman work on other research besides x-ray crystallography?
He may have done some research on subjects besides x-ray crystallography but after his collaboration with Karle it became his life’s work. He continued this research at the Hauptman-Woodward Institute with larger molecules into his nineties.
What led the Nobel committee to choose his work thirty years later?
Hauptman and Karle’s research wasn’t initially accepted because the phase problem that they solved was considered too difficult to solve. It may also be related to the Patterson award he received from the American Crystallography Association in 1984, a year before his Nobel Prize.
Did his transition from chemistry to medicine stem from his guilt that his nobel research was used for laser guided missiles?
He did not work on laser guided missiles and I do not know if someone else took his place for that research. He was a mathematician who worked in the field of chemistry. Although his research has impacted the medical field greatly, his direct work developing the mathematical formulas required for the process of identifying structures of molecules was purely math based.
Sorry, I am not sure why I thought he worked on laser guided missles. I must have misunderstood something
What were his alternative interests?
I am sorry but I could not find any information on his other interests. All I know is that he was interested in most fields of science and math. He was also a professor at the University of Buffalo’s Computer Science and Engineering department.
Was Hauptmans interest in math mostly placed geometry? If so did this encourage him to research the geometry of molecules and radiation?
I am not sure what his biggest interest in Math was, but he used probability theory to analyze the x-ray diffraction patterns and create his “direct methods”.
How was Hauptman able to combine math and science to accomplish his Nobel Prize?
The entire research that went towards his Nobel Prize with Karle was a collaboration between math and science. Hauptman, a mathematician, worked with Karle, a physical chemist, and although it was not done exclusively, they each did more work in the field they were most comfortable in.
Are there any mainstream applications of his research today?
His research has led to the main process for determining the structure of a molecule. This allows researchers to learn a lot about molecules in the body that they can then create specific drugs to target. In an interview with the Associated Press, Eaton Lattman, chief executive of the Hauptman-Woodward Institute stated, “I don’t think there’s a single pharmaceutical that’s been developed in the last 30 years that hasn’t been studied using derivations of what Dr. Hauptman and his colleagues won the Nobel Prize for.”
What does the future of x-ray crystallography hold?
Was there any unanswered questions in the field the Hauptman wanted to research?
X-ray crystallography is a process that determines the structure of a molecule. Thus, the natural progression is to make this process more efficient, faster, and applicable to larger compounds. Hauptman laid the groundwork for this field and expanded it to larger molecules. However, the field can always be improved, lending itself to larger molecules.
Has x-ray crystallography been significantly improved since their development of the direct method?
Hauptman developed the direct methods and improved them into the 21st century so there has not been much time for improvement since then. However, computers have provided significant contributions to x-ray crystallography, speeding up the process and handling much larger molecules.