Dr. Albert Szent-Gyorgi

Albert Imre Szent-Gyorgyi (1893-1986), a Hungarian-born biochemist, was the first to isolate vitamin C, and his research on biological oxidation provided the basis for Krebs' citric acid cycle. His discoveries about the biochemical nature of muscular contraction revolutionized the field of muscle research. His later career was devoted to research in "submolecular" biology, applying quantum physics to biological processes. He was especially interested in cancer, and was one of the first to explore the connections between free radicals and cancer. Szent-Gyorgyi won the 1937 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work in biological oxidation and vitamin C, and the Lasker Award in Basic Medical Research in 1954, for contributions to understanding cardiovascular disease through basic muscle research.

The Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory Library is the repository for the Albert Szent-Gyorgyi Papers, which range from 1894 to 1995. The collection contains photographs, oral history interviews, published articles, video recordings, and lectures.

As part of its Profiles in Science project, the National Library of Medicine has collaborated with the Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory Library to digitize and make available over the World Wide Web a selection of the Albert Szent-Gyorgyi Papers for use by educators and researchers. This site provides access to the portions of the Albert Szent-Gyorgyi Papers of the Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory Library that have been selected for digitization. Individuals interested in conducting research in the Albert Szent-Gyorgyi Papers are invited to contact the Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory Library.

This online Exhibit is designed to introduce you to the various phases of Szent-Gyorgyi's scientific career and professional life. It is divided into sections that focus on Szent-Gyorgyi's life and major scientific contributions. We suggest that new visitors begin with this exhibit, which includes a small selection of documents and visuals, organized within these sections. Each section begins with a "Background Narrative," which leads to "Documents" and "Visuals."

Visitors may access additional materials through Search on the navigation bar. They may also view the materials alphabetically or chronologically by choosing Browse on the navigation bar. Documents and visuals in these lists are arranged by format and then either alphabetically by title or chronologically.

Dr. Szent-Gyorgi explains in this video how he ended up doing what he did - interesting video in which his life is explained:

Here is one of the rare videos interviewing Gyorgi on understanding basic life cycles: