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Paul Berg - Stanford's Molecular Biologist

© Jackie DiGiovanni

Paul Berg was born in Brooklyn, New York, June 30, 1926. His parents were Harry and Sarah (Brodsky) Berg. He was one of three sons. Berg credits his interest in science to two books: Arrowsmith, by Sinclair Lewis, and Microbe Hunters, by Paul de Kruif. Both books are still in print. He attended Abraham Lincoln High School in New York, graduating in 1943. He was recognized as an exceptional student in school and took advanced classes. Berg remembers one teacher, Sophie Wolfe, as inspirational. According to Berg, "She made science fun, she made us share ideas, and the better you did, the more you were praised."

Berg married Mildred Levy on September 13, 1947. He received a BS in biochemistry from Pennsylvania State in 1948. Berg served in the United States Navy from 1944 until 1946. He received a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Western Reserve University in Cleveland in 1952. He did post-doctoral studies with Herman Kalckar at the Institute of Cytophysiology in Copenhagen from 1952 until 1953, and with Arthur Kornberg at Washington University in St. Louis from 1953 until 1954. Kornberg is quoted describing Berg as "an inspiring leader at the frontier of molecular and cellular biology." Berg's research at Washington University involved converting fatty acids into their activated forms and led to his co-discovery of aminoacyl tRNA synthetases and tRNA.

In 1959, Berg, along with Kornberg and others from Washington University, moved to Stanford University, as associate professor in biochemistry in the School of Medicine. Berg's research involved identifying the steps by which DNA produces proteins. He was successful in splicing genetic material from one living organism into that of another. He shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1980 for this work.

During the mid-1970s, Berg, at the request of the National Academy of Sciences, published a letter seeking a temporary halt to research in recombinant DNA because of safety issues. Berg and other scientists had formed a committee studying the potential dangers of recombinant DNA. These discussions led to the Asilomar Conference in 1975, and eventually to limits on recombinant DNA experiments.

Berg continued his research on recombinant DNA techniques. In 1991, he was named the first chairman of the Science Advisory Committee of the Human Genome Project. In 2002, Berg, among 40 Nobel laureates, came out in support of therapeutic cloning (nuclear transplantation technology) which produces stem cells for research and therapeutic purposes.

Berg remained at Stanford and is currently the Robert W. and Vivian K. Cahill Professor of Cancer Research Emeritus, and director emeritus of the Beckman Center for Molecular and Genetic Medicine.

Berg is active with the American Society for