Max Perutz (1914–2002) Great Scientist and Modest Leader

Obituary support for his work, and, in this, he was also singularly successful. In an article reviewing a biography of Ruther-ford (one of Max's early heroes), Max says he was disappointed to find the famous Cavendish Laboratory poorly equipped when he arrived and explains his view that Rutherford's failure to raise enough money to equip the Laboratory properly was a weakness shared by Bragg. Max Perutz was an inspiration to many generations of However, with help from Bragg and Keilin, Max's own scientists. In addition to being a brilliant, farsighted, salary was provided by a grant from the Rockefeller and tenacious scientist, he was a kind, thoughtful, and Foundation and later by ICI, before the Secretary of gracious man. His life touched the lives of many through the MRC, Edward Mellanby, following an approach by his own research, which became the foundation of struc-Bragg, agreed that they could apply to MRC for long-tural molecular biology, through the beautifully crafted term support. So, from 1947, Max became the Director essays which he wrote during his later years, and of a small MRC Unit for the " Study of the Molecular through his warm support and encouragement of others. Structure of Biological Systems " under the auspices of His modest, yet superbly focused, style led to a long Bragg and housed in the Cavendish. The Unit consisted and productive life. He died on February 6, aged 87, initially of just himself and a young Ph.D. student, John from cancer. Kendrew, whose interest in proteins had started through " Please call me Max " were his first words to many a conversation with Bernal while testing explosives in young scientists tempted to address him more formally. Ceylon toward the end of the war. at MIT, had discovered the partially over-a biologist in the nearby Molteno Institute (Parasitology), lapping myosin and actin filament structure in muscle offered Max biochemistry space to prepare and crystal-which led to the sliding filament mechanism. Max's little lize haemoglobin, and, when Ernest Rutherford died and Unit had already done well and has never looked back. Bernal moved to London, Lawrence Bragg, the new Cav-After these early successes, the long haul to atomic-endish Professor of Physics at Cambridge, became a resolution protein structures began in earnest. On hae-lifelong supporter of Max and the new field of protein moglobin, this would take Max and his colleagues an-crystallography. The first 15 years …