Kary Mullis
Kary Mullis | |
|---|---|
Mullis in 2006 | |
| Born | Kary Banks Mullis December 28, 1944 Lenoir, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | August 7, 2019 (aged 74) |
| Education | Georgia Institute of Technology (BS) University of California, Berkeley (PhD) |
| Known for | Invention of polymerase chain reaction TaqMan |
| Awards | William Allan Award (1990) Robert Koch Prize (1992) Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1993) Japan Prize (1993) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Molecular biology |
| Institutions | Cetus Corporation, Emeryville, California; Xytronyx, Inc., San Diego |
| Thesis | Schizokinen: structure and synthetic work (1973) |
| Doctoral advisor | J. B. Neilands |
| Website | karymullis |
Kary Banks Mullis (December 28, 1944 – August 7, 2019) was an American biochemist. In recognition of his role in the invention of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, he shared the 1993 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Michael Smith and was awarded the Japan Prize in the same year. PCR became a central technique in biochemistry and molecular biology, described by The New York Times as "highly original and significant, virtually dividing biology into the two epochs of before PCR and after PCR."
Mullis downplayed humans' role in climate change, expressed doubt that HIV is the cause of AIDS, and professed a belief in astrology and the paranormal. He also practiced clandestine chemistry by producing LSD. Mullis's unscientific statements about topics outside his area of expertise have been named by Skeptical Inquirer as an instance of "Nobel disease".