Cornelius Van Niel 1753623 225207529 2008-07-12T13:38:44Z 88.73.75.253 {{Infobox_Scientist | name = Cornelius Bernardus van Niel | image = Esther & van Niel J. Loeb Lab HMS 1945.jpg | image_width = | caption = EM Lederberg with CB van Niel, HMS 1945 | birth_date = {{birth date|1897|11|4|mf=y}} | birth_place = [[Haarlem]] | death_date = {{death date and age|1985|3|10|1897|11|4|mf=y}} | death_place = [[Carmel, California|Carmel]], [[California]] | residence = | citizenship = | nationality = USA | ethnicity = | field = [[Microbiology]] | work_institution = [[Hopkins Marine Station]] | alma_mater = [[Delft University]] | doctoral_advisor = | doctoral_students = | known_for = [[Chemistry]] of [[photosynthesis]] | author_abbreviation_bot = | author_abbreviation_zoo = | prizes = [[National Medal of Science]] ([[1963]]) <br/> [[Leeuwenhoek Medal]] (1970) | religion = | footnotes = }} '''Cornelis Bernardus van Niel''' ([[November 4]], [[1897]], [[Haarlem]] &ndash; [[March 10]], [[1985]], [[Carmel, California|Carmel]], [[California]]) was a [[The Netherlands|Dutch]]-[[United States|American]] [[microbiologist]]. He introduced the study of general microbiology to the United States and made key discoveries explaining the [[chemistry]] of [[photosynthesis]]. In [[1923]], Cornelis van Niel married Christina van Hemert, graduated in chemical engineering at [[Delft University]] and became an assistant to [[Albert Jan Kluyver]], who had initiated the field of comparative biochemistry. In [[1928]] he wrote his PhD dissertation ('The Propionic Acid Bacteria') after which he left for the United States to continue his work at the [[Hopkins Marine Station]] of [[Stanford University]]. By studying [[purple sulfur bacteria]] and [[green sulfur bacteria]] he was the first scientist to demonstrate that photosynthesis is a [[light-dependent reaction|light-dependent]] [[redox]] reaction, in which [[hydrogen]] from an oxidizable compound reduces [[carbon dioxide]] to cellular materials. Expressed as: :2 H<sub>2</sub>A + CO<sub>2</sub> &rarr; 2A + CH<sub>2</sub>O + H<sub>2</sub>O His discovery predicted that H<sub>2</sub>O is the hydrogen donor in green plant photosynthesis and is oxidized to O<sub>2</sub>. The chemical summation of photosynthesis was a milestone in the understanding of the chemistry of photosynthesis. This was later shown to be by [[Robert Hill (plant biochemist)|Robert Hill]]. [http://www.estherlederberg.com "Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg"] was one of C. B. van Niel's accomplished students, as was Alan Campbell.<ref>Campbell, A., ''Annu. Rev. Genet''. 2007 41:1-11.</ref> In [[1961]], Van Niel in collaboration with [[Roger Stanier|R.Y. Stanier]] defined [[prokaryotes]] as cells in which the nuclear material is not surrounded by a [[nuclear membrane]], a definition that is still used to date. He received the American [[National Medal of Science]] in [[1963]]. ==External links== *[http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/cellmicro/nester/graphics/nester3ehp/common/vanniel.html Biography] ==Footnotes== {{reflist}} <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] --> {{Persondata |NAME= Niel, Cornelis Bernardus van |ALTERNATIVE NAMES= |SHORT DESCRIPTION=[[USA|American]] microbiologist |DATE OF BIRTH= [[November 4]], [[1897]] |PLACE OF BIRTH= [[Haarlem]] |DATE OF DEATH= [[March 10]], [[1985]] |PLACE OF DEATH= [[Carmel, California|Carmel]], [[California]] }} {{DEFAULTSORT: Niel, Cornelis Bernardus van}} {{Netherlands-bio-stub}} {{US-biochemist-stub}} [[Category:Dutch microbiologists|Niel, Cornelius van]] [[Category:Dutch biochemists|Niel, Cornelius van]] [[Category:Dutch biologists|Niel, Cornelius van]] [[Category:American biologists|van Niel, Cornelius]] [[Category:National Medal of Science laureates|van Niel, Cornelius]] [[Category:1897 births|Niel, Cornelius van]] [[Category:1985 deaths|Niel, Cornelius van]] [[Category:People from Haarlem|Niel, Cornelius van]] [[cs:Cornelius Van Niel]] [[de:Cornelis Bernardus van Niel]] [[et:Cornelius van Niel]]