Medical research building gets its name

T he Medical Center has announced that it will name its new medical research building in honor of Arthur Kornberg '41M (MD), a 1959 recipient of the Nobel Prize in medicine.

In the 1950s, he discovered the chemical steps by which living cells replicate DNA, the genetic "blue print" of all forms of life. After unraveling the process of DNA replication, Kornberg became the first scientist to synthesize DNA in a test tube--a feat that stands as one of the most important achievements in science. Kornberg is currently professor emeritus of biochemistry at Stanford University.

"Dr. Kornberg is an icon that represents what we hope to accomplish in this building: the pursuit of science that leads to new treatments and cures for diseases," said Jay Stein, senior vice president and vice provost for health affairs at the University, and CEO of the Medical Center and Strong Health.

The new building will be named the Arthur Kornberg Medical Research Building. At the ceremony announcing the naming of the building, Kornberg presented his Nobel Prize to the University. It will be permanently displayed in the lobby of the new building. The four-story, 240,000-square-foot building, located at the corner of Elmwood Avenue and Lattimore Road, will open this fall.