Gottfried Schatz

Gottfried Schatz (1936, Austria — 2015, Switzerland) was a biochemist. He played a leading role in clarifying the biogenesis of mitochondria and was co-discoverer of mitochondrial DNA.

After obtaining a doctorate in chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Graz (Austria), he worked at the University of Vienna and at the Public Health Research Institute of the City of New York. In 1968 he became professor at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. Six years later, he returned to Europe to take part in the newly established Biocenter at the University of Basel, which he chaired from 1983 to 1985. From 1984 to 1989 he was Secretary General of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO). After his retirement in 2000, he chaired the Swiss Science and Technology Council (SSTC) until 2003. He is the author of more than 200 professional publications as well as two essay collections on the broader implications of science. His scientific autobiography Jeff’s View (Italian edition: Viaggi Interplanetari) was published in 2000.

(Adapted from the entry Gottfried Schatz on Wikipedia)