BERNARD KATZ

Birth: 26" March 1911 / Death: 20 April 2003


Sir Bernard Katz was born on March 26, 1911, in Leipzig, Germany, Though he was born in Germany he pursued his researches as well as the carcer as a scientist in England. Therefore today he is known as German-born British physiologist.

He is famous for his studies, experiments and investigations on the functioning of nerves and muscles. His studies on the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which carries impulses from nerve fibre to muscle fibre, won him a share of the 1970 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine. He had shared the Prize with Julius Axelord and Ulf von Euler.

After receiving a medical degree from the University of Leipzig in 1934, Katz immigrated to England, where he pursued advanced studies at University College in London, taking a Ph.D. in
1938. Upon receiving a Carnegie fellowship, he studied in Australia (1939-42) and then served in the Royal Australian Air Force during World War II.

He returned to University College in 1946 and from 1952 to 1978 was professor and head of the biophysics department. Katz was knighted in 1969.

Katz wrote Electric Excitation of Nerve (1939), Nerve, Muscle and Synapse (1966), and The Release of Neural Transmitter Substances (1969).

He and his associates made numerous discoveries concerning the chemistry of nerve transmission, including the role of calcium ions in promoting the release of neurotransmitter substances and the fact that quanta of these substances are being released constantly at random intervals.