David Keilin

David Keilin ( born March 21, 1887 in Moscow, † February 27, 1963 in Cambridge ) was a British biologist. Particularly well known Keilin was the rediscovery and exploration of the respiratory protein cytochrome.

Life

Keilin family returned during his early childhood to Warsaw. Due to his poor health and because he suffered from asthma, David did not visit the school until the age of ten years. Only seven years later, in 1904, he enrolled at the University of Liège (French: Université de Liège) a. Later he studied at Magdalene College ( Cambridge ) and became a British citizen.

In 1915 he became a research assistant to George Nuttall, the first Quick Professor of Biology at the University of Cambridge, where he worked until his retirement and researched. In 1931 he became successor Nuttall as Quick Professor and Director of the Molteno Institute. In 1952 he retired from professional life.

During his academic career he wore through his work a significant contribution to entomology and parasitology. In the period 1914-1923 he published 39 works for the reproduction of lice, the life cycle of the horse botfly to the respiratory adaptations in larvae and other research topics.

He gained greatest fame through his work and the rediscovery of what he called cytochromes in the twenties of the 20th century. This protein was described already in 1884 by McMunn, but then forgotten again.

Writings

• On cytochrome, a respiratory pigment, common to animals, yeast, and higher plants. In: Proc. Royal Soc. London. Series B. Vol 98 ( August 1925 ), pp. 312-339, JSTOR 81121st
• The Leeuwenhoek Lecture: The Problem of anabiosis or latent life: History and Current Concept. In: Proc. Royal Soc. London. Series B. vol 150, no. 939 ( March 1959 ), pp. 149-191, JSTOR 83251st

Awards

In 1926 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. In 1939 he was awarded the Royal Medal and the Copley Medal in 1951.