Jerome Karle

Jerome Karle was an American physical chemist whose revolutionary work in X-ray crystallography transformed the analysis of molecular structures. He shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1985 with his long-time collaborator Herbert A. Hauptman for developing direct mathematical methods to determine crystal structures. His career was spent primarily at the United States Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C., where his research had profound implications for chemistry, biology, and pharmaceutical development.

Early life and education

Jerome Karle was born in 1918 in New York City to a family of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage. He displayed an early aptitude for science and mathematics, attending the City College of New York, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology in 1937. He then pursued graduate studies at Harvard University, receiving a Master of Arts in biology in 1938. For his doctoral work, he moved to the University of Michigan, shifting his focus to physical chemistry under the guidance of Professor Lawrence O. Brockway. It was at Michigan that he met his future wife and scientific partner, fellow crystallographer Isabella Lugoski, and earned his Ph.D. in 1944.

Career and research

Following the completion of his doctorate during World War II, Karle worked on the Manhattan Project at the University of Chicago, contributing to research on plutonium chemistry. In 1946, he joined the United States Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in Washington, D.C., where he would remain for his entire career, eventually becoming chief scientist of the Laboratory for the Structure of Matter. At the NRL, he collaborated closely with mathematician Herbert A. Hauptman. Together, they challenged the prevailing trial-and-error approaches in crystallography, developing a robust theoretical foundation for solving the phase problem—a major obstacle in determining atomic arrangements from X-ray diffraction patterns.

Direct methods in crystallography

The collaborative work of Karle and Hauptman established the field of direct methods in crystallography. Their seminal 1953 paper, "Solution of the Phase Problem I. The Centrosymmetric Crystal," published in Acta Crystallographica, provided the mathematical proofs and probabilistic equations needed to directly calculate the phases of diffracted X-rays. This theoretical breakthrough, initially met with skepticism, eliminated the need for heavy-atom substitution or guesswork. The practical application of these methods, pioneered by Karle's wife Isabella Karle using symbolic addition procedures, allowed for the rapid and accurate determination of complex organic and biological molecule structures, revolutionizing fields like drug design and molecular biology.

Awards and honors

For their development of direct methods, Jerome Karle and Herbert A. Hauptman were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1985. Karle's other significant recognitions include the E. B. Wilson Award from the American Chemical Society in 1987 and the National Medal of Science, presented by President Bill Clinton in 1993. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1976 and was a member of numerous prestigious societies, including the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science. He also received the Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award.

Personal life and legacy

Jerome Karle married Isabella Lugoski in 1942, forming one of the most productive partnerships in modern science; they had three daughters. He was known for his modest demeanor and deep commitment to both fundamental research and its practical applications for the United States Navy. Karle passed away in 2013 in Annandale, Virginia. His legacy endures through the continued universal use of direct methods in crystallography, which remain essential tools for determining the structures of everything from new pharmaceuticals and proteins to advanced materials, profoundly impacting scientific discovery and technological innovation.

Category:American crystallographers Category:Nobel laureates in Chemistry Category:National Medal of Science laureates Category:1918 births Category:2013 deaths