About

He is best known for his work on the structure and sequencing of proteins and nucleic acids. Sanger was born in 1918 in England and initially studied medicine before switching to biochemistry. In the 1940s, he began researching insulin, a hormone involved in regulating blood sugar levels, and successfully determined its complete amino acid sequence. This groundbreaking work earned him the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1958, making him the first person to win the award twice. Sanger's most notable achievement came in the 1970s when he developed a DNA sequencing method known as the Sanger sequencing technique. This technique revolutionized the field of genetics by allowing researchers to determine the exact order of nucleotides in a DNA molecule. His method played a pivotal role in the Human Genome Project, an international effort to map and sequence the entire human genome. Throughout his career, Sanger continued to refine and improve his sequencing technique, resulting in the development of the dideoxy chain-termination method, also known as the Sanger method. This method became the gold standard for DNA sequencing and remained in use for many years. In recognition of his extraordinary contributions to scientific research, Sanger received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the second time in 1980. Apart from his work on DNA sequencing, Sanger also made significant contributions to the understanding of the genetic code and the role of RNA in protein synthesis. He retired from scientific research in the late 1980s but remained active in promoting science education and public understanding of genetics. Sanger's work continues to have a profound impact on the fields of molecular biology and genetics, and he is widely regarded as one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century.