Calvin, Melvin


Calvin, Melvin

(1911-) American biochemist best known for this work on CO2 fixation in PHOTOSYNTHESIS. In his experiment he labelled CO2 with 14C and, using the ‘Lollipop apparatus’ (for exposing algal cells to light), and CHROMATOGRAPHY of cell extracts after varying time intervals, was able to isolate the various steps from CO2 to starch, a sequence later called the CALVIN CYCLE. He was awarded a Nobel Prize for this work in 1961.