Through a biography of Harland Goff Wood this project will examine the forces that shaped the development of biochemistry in the United States. Wood's career reflects the intellectual history of U.S. biochemistry, from his early research (with Chester Werkman) that identified and elucidated the process of carbon dioxide fixation, through later studies of the enzymes involved in that metabolic process, to his last work on the structure and sequence of genes that code for those proteins. Wood also built a strong training program in biochemistry at Case Western Reserve University Medical School, and through his mentorship conveyed to students both the craft of science and its ethos. Finally, Wood involved himself in the public issues of the day, through service to professional societies, journals, and the nation (as a Presidential Science Advisor).
