Editing Alec Todd

{{short description|British biochemist}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox scientist
| honorific_prefix  = [[The Right Honourable]]
| name              = The Lord Todd
| honorific_suffix  = {{postnominals|country=GBR|OM|FRS|FRSE|size=100%}}
| caption           = Alexander Todd in 1957
| birth_name        = Alexander Robertus Todd
| birth_date        = {{birth date|df=yes|1907|10|02}}
| birth_place       = [[Cathcart]], Scotland
| death_date        = {{death date and age|df=yes|1997|01|10|1907|10|02}}
| death_place       = [[Oakington]], England
| image             = Alexander Todd Nobel.jpg
| fields            = [[Chemistry]], [[Biochemistry]]
| workplaces        = [[Lister Institute]] <br /> [[University of Edinburgh]] <br />[[University of London]] <br />[[University of Manchester]] <br /> [[University of Cambridge]]<br /> [[University of Strathclyde]] <br /> [[Hatfield Polytechnic]]
| alma_mater        = [[University of Glasgow]]<br />[[University of Frankfurt am Main]] <br />[[Oriel College, Oxford]]
| doctoral_advisor  = [[:de:Walther Borsche|Prof. Dr. Walther Borsche]], <br />[[Robert Robinson (organic chemist)|Sir Robert Robinson]]
| doctoral_students = [[J. Rodney Quayle]]
| prizes            = {{no wrap|[[Tilden Prize]] (1940)<br />[[Davy Medal]] (1949)<br />[[Royal Medal]] (1955)<br />[[Nobel Prize for Chemistry]] (1957)<br />[[Paul Karrer Gold Medal]] (1963)<br />[[Copley Medal]] (1970)<br />[[Lomonosov Gold Medal]] (1978)}}
}}
'''Alexander Robertus Todd, Baron Todd''' (2 October 1907 – 10 January 1997) was a British [[biochemist]] whose research on the structure and [[biosynthesis|synthesis]] of [[nucleotide]]s, [[nucleoside]]s, and nucleotide [[coenzyme]]s gained him the [[Nobel Prize for Chemistry]] in 1957.

==Early life and education==
Todd was born at [[Cathcart]] in outer [[Glasgow]], the elder son of Alexander Todd, JP,<ref>[https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/research-guides/research-guides-a-z/justices-of-the-peace-records www.nrscotland.gov.uk]</ref> a clerk with the [[Glasgow Subway]], and his wife, Jane Lowry.<ref>{{Cite journal |jstor = 770414|title = Alexander Robertus Todd, O. M., Baron Todd of Trumpington. 2 October 1907–10 January 1997|journal = Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society|volume = 46|pages = 517–532|last1 = Brown|first1 = Daniel M.|last2 = Kornberg|first2 = Hans|year = 2000| issue=–1|doi=10.1098/rsbm.1999.0130}}</ref>

He attended [[Allan Glen's School]] and graduated from the [[University of Glasgow]] with a bachelor's degree (BSc) in 1928. He received a doctorate (Dr Phil.nat.) from [[Goethe University Frankfurt]] in 1931 for his thesis on the chemistry of the [[bile acid]]s.

Todd was awarded an [[1851 Research Fellowship]] from the [[Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851]],<ref>1851 Royal Commission Archives</ref> and, after studying at [[Oriel College, Oxford]], he received another doctorate (DPhil) in 1933.

==Career==
Todd held posts with the [[Lister Institute]], the [[University of Edinburgh]] (staff, 1934–1936) and the [[University of London]], where he was appointed [[Reader (academic rank)|Reader]] in biochemistry.

In 1938, Alexander Todd spent six months as a visiting professor at [[California Institute of Technology]], eventually declining an offer of faculty position.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1957/todd-bio.html|title=Lord Todd – Biographical|website=www.nobelprize.org|access-date=2018-01-27}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QVtMCAAAQBAJ&q=Alexander+R.+Todd+caltech&pg=PT152|title=The Molecular Vision of Life: Caltech, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Rise of the New Biology|last=Kay|first=Lily E.|date=1992-12-03|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-028161-8|language=en}}</ref> 

Todd became the [[Sir Samuel Hall Chair of Chemistry]] and director of the Chemical Laboratories of the [[Victoria University of Manchester|University of Manchester]] in 1938, where he began working on nucleosides, compounds that form the structural units of nucleic acids ([[DNA]] and [[RNA]]). 
At 31, he was the youngest professor of chemistry since Frankland.  He was elected to membership of the [[Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society]] on 29.11.1938

In 1944, he was appointed to the [[BP Professor of Organic Chemistry|1702 Chair of Chemistry]] in the [[University of Cambridge]], which he held until his retirement in 1971.<ref>{{citation|title=The 1702 chair of chemistry at Cambridge: transformation and change|first1=Mary D. |last1=Archer|author-link=Mary Archer|first2= Christopher D. |last2=Haley
|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=2005|isbn=0-521-82873-2}}, Chapter 9: Alexander Todd, p 233</ref> In 1949, he synthesised [[adenosine triphosphate]] (ATP) and [[flavin adenine dinucleotide]] (FAD). Todd served as a visiting professor at the [[University of Chicago]] in Autumn 1948<ref>{{cite book|last1=Todd|first1=Alexander|title=A Time to Remember: The Autobiography of a Chemist|date=17 November 1983|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=0-521-25593-7|pages=110}}</ref> and [[University of Sydney]] in 1950.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite journal|title=Our Work with Cyanogenic Plants|journal=Annual Review of Plant Biology|volume=59|pages=1–19|doi=10.1146/annurev.arplant.59.032607.092924|pmid=17988213|year=2008|last1=Conn|first1=Eric E.|issue=1 |doi-access=|bibcode=2008AnRPB..59....1C }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sydney.edu.au/science/chemistry/documents/alumni/Issue16.pdf|title=ChemNEWS (FACULTY OF SCIENCE)|website=The University of Sydney}}{{Dead link|date=June 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

In 1955, he helped elucidate the structure of [[vitamin B12|vitamin B<sub>12</sub>]], although the final formula and definite structure was determined by [[Dorothy Hodgkin]] and her team, and later worked on the structure and synthesis of [[vitamin B1|vitamin B<sub>1</sub>]] and [[vitamin E]], the [[anthocyanins]] (the pigments of flowers and fruits) from insects (aphids, beetles) and studied [[alkaloids]] found in [[cannabis (drug)|cannabis]]. He served as chairman of the [[Government of the United Kingdom]]'s advisory committee on [[science policy|scientific policy]] from 1952 to 1964.

He is credited as the first person to synthesize [[H4-CBD]] and [[H2-CBD]] from [[Cannabidiol]] by [[hydrogenation]] as early as 1940.<ref>{{cite journal | url=https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/1940/jr/jr9400000649 | doi=10.1039/JR9400000649 | title=119. Cannabis indica. Part II. Isolation of cannabidiol from Egyptian hashish. Observations on the structure of cannabinol | date=1940 | last1=Jacob | first1=A. | last2=Todd | first2=A. R. | journal=Journal of the Chemical Society (Resumed) | pages=649–653 | url-access=subscription }}</ref>

He received the 1957 Nobel Prize in Chemistry “for his work on nucleotides and nucleotide co-enzymes.”

Elected a [[Fellow]] of [[Christ's College, Cambridge]] in 1944, he served as [[Christ's College, Cambridge#Masters of Christ's|Master]] from 1963 to 1978. Lord Todd became the first [[Chancellor (education)|Chancellor]] of the new [[University of Strathclyde]] in 1965, and a visiting professor at [[University of Hertfordshire|Hatfield Polytechnic]] (1978–1986). Among his many honours, including over 40 honorary degrees, he was elected a [[Fellow of the Royal Society]] in 1942, a member of the United States [[National Academy of Sciences]] in 1955,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alexander R. Todd of Trumpington |url=http://www.nasonline.org/member-directory/deceased-members/15492.html |access-date=2022-10-03 |website=www.nasonline.org}}</ref> a member of the [[American Academy of Arts and Sciences]] in 1957,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alexander Robertus Todd |url=https://www.amacad.org/person/alexander-robertus-todd |access-date=2022-10-03 |website=American Academy of Arts & Sciences |language=en}}</ref> and the [[American Philosophical Society]] in 1965.<ref>{{Cite web |title=APS Member History |url=https://search.amphilsoc.org/memhist/search?creator=Lord+Todd&title=&subject=&subdiv=&mem=&year=&year-max=&dead=&keyword=&smode=advanced |access-date=2022-10-03 |website=search.amphilsoc.org}}</ref> [[President of the Royal Society]] from 1975 to 1980, The Queen awarded him [[Member of the Order of Merit|the Order of Merit]] in 1977.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=47362 |date=28 October 1977 |page=13613}}</ref>

In 1981, Todd became a founding member of the [[World Cultural Council]].<ref>{{cite web | title = About Us | publisher = [[World Cultural Council]] | url = http://www.consejoculturalmundial.org/about-us/ | access-date = 8 November 2016}}</ref>

==Personal life and death==

In 1937, Todd married Alison Sarah Dale (d. 1987), daughter of Nobel Prize winner [[Henry Hallett Dale]], who like Todd, served as President of the [[Royal Society of London]].  They had a son and two daughters:

* Dr the Hon Alexander Henry Todd (b. 1939), educated at [[Oriel College, Oxford]], Master [[Salters' Company]] (1999/2000), m. 1stly 1967 (div 1981) Joan Margaret Koester, m. 2ndly Patricia Mary Harvey Jones, daughter of Brigadier Alan Harvey Jones {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=90%|CBE|TD}}, of [[Somerford Booths]], [[Cheshire]];
* The Hon Helen Jean Todd (b. 1941), m. 1963 Philip Edgar Brown, and has two sons and a daughter;
* The Hon Hilary Alison Todd (b. 1946).<ref>[https://www.burkespeerage.com/ www.burkespeerage.com]</ref>

Todd died in Cambridge on 10 January 1997 at the age of 89 following a heart attack.{{cn|date=October 2024}}

==Honours==
Todd was honoured as a Nieuwland Lecturer at the [[University of Notre Dame]] in 1948,<ref>{{Cite book|title=Vitamins, coenzymes and nucleotides; a series of lectures presented at the University of Notre Dame on October 22, 25 and 27, 1948.|last=Todd|first=Alexander R|date=1949|publisher=University of Notre Dame|location=Notre Dame, Ind.|language=en|oclc = 6142088}}</ref> an Arthur D. Little Visiting Professor at [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] in 1954,<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://chemistry.mit.edu/giving-alumni/donor-profiles/postdoc-ty-shen-honors-his-wife|title=Postdoc T.Y. Shen Honors his Wife {{!}} MIT Department of Chemistry|website=chemistry.mit.edu|language=en|access-date=2018-01-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150915130515/http://chemistry.mit.edu/giving-alumni/donor-profiles/postdoc-ty-shen-honors-his-wife|archive-date=15 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> and a Hitchcock Lecturer at [[University of California, Berkeley]], in 1957.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://gradlectures.berkeley.edu/lecture/nucleotide-co-enzymes/|title=Nucleotide Co-Enzymes: A Study in Synthesis {{!}} Berkeley Graduate Lectures|website=gradlectures.berkeley.edu|language=en|access-date=2018-01-27}}</ref>

[[Knight Bachelor|Knighted]] as Sir Alexander Todd in 1954<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=40227 |date=9 July 1954 |page=4026}}</ref> he was elevated as a [[Life Peer]] on 16 April 1962, being created '''Baron Todd''' of [[Trumpington, Cambridgeshire|Trumpington]] in the [[County of Cambridge]].<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=42651 |date=17 April 1962 |page=3185}}</ref>

Lord Todd, Master of the [[Worshipful Company of Salters]] (1961/62) and then [[List of masters of Christ's College, Cambridge|Master of Christ's College]] (1963–78), is commemorated by a [[blue plaque]] erected by the [[Royal Society of Chemistry]] at the [[Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry|Department of Chemistry in the University of Cambridge]].<ref>[https://alumni.christs.cam.ac.uk/lord-todd www.alumni.christs.cam.ac.uk]</ref>

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|coronet = [[File:Coronet of a British Baron.svg|35px]] [[Coronet|Coronet of a Baron]]
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|supporters = [[Dexter and sinister|Dexter]] an Ounce and [[Dexter and sinister|Sinister]] a Fox each Sable bezanty and gorged with a Ducal Coronet with Chain reflexed over the back Or pendant from the Coronet by a like chain an Escutcheon Blue celeste.
|motto = ''Faire Sans Dire'' 
|orders = Suspended below the [[Escutcheon (heraldry)|Shield]] by its [[Phaleristics|ribbon]], the [[insignia]] of the [[Member of the Order of Merit|Order of Merit]]: <br />[[File:Medal of the Order of Merit (United Kingdom).svg|75px]]
|other_elements = As [[Master craftsman|Master Salter]] and then as [[List of masters of Christ's College, Cambridge|Master of Christ's College, Cambridge]], Lord Todd [[Impalement (heraldry)|impale]]d his arms of office (''dexter'') with his family [[coat of arms|arms]] (''sinister''):<br />[[File:SaltersCompany Arms.svg|35px]],[[File:Christ's College, Cambridge arms.svg|35px]]<ref>[https://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/resources/impaling-arms-of-office www.college-of-arms.gov.uk]</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Debrett's Peerage & Baronetage |date=1985}}</ref>}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book | last=Todd | first=Alexander | title=A Time to Remember | publisher=Cambridge University Press | date=3 December 2009 | isbn=978-0-521-12673-1}}

==See also==
* [[Atherton–Todd reaction]]
* [[History of RNA biology]]
* [[List of RNA biologists]]
* [[List of presidents of the Royal Society|Presidents of the Royal Society]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{citation|title=Christ's: A Cambridge College Over Five Centuries|first=David|last= Reynolds|author-link=David Reynolds (English historian)
|publisher=Macmillan|year= 2005|isbn=0-333-98988-0}}: "The Era of Todd, Plumb and Snow", by Sir [[David Cannadine]].

==External links==
{{Commonscat}}
* [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-lord-todd-1283405.html Obituary] in ''[[The Independent]]''
* [https://www.nytimes.com/1997/01/15/world/lord-todd-89-a-nobelist-for-work-on-nucleic-acids.html Obituary] in ''[[The New York Times]]''
*{{Nobelprize|name=Lord Todd}} including the Nobel Lecture, 11 December 1957 ''Synthesis in the Study of Nucleotides''
*{{NPG name}}
*{{citation | title=Interviews with Nobel Prize winning scientists: Alexander, Lord Todd | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/scientists/10601.shtml | year=1984 | publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation }}. Video of an interviewed with [[Lewis Wolpert]]. Duration 37 minutes.
*[https://archivesearch.lib.cam.ac.uk/repositories/9/resources/1874 Papers of Lord Todd] held at the [[Churchill Archives Centre]]

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{{Nobel Prize in Chemistry Laureates 1951-1975}}
{{1957 Nobel Prize winners}}
{{Royal Society presidents 1900s}}
{{Copley Medallists 1951–2000}}
{{1702 Chairs of Chemistry (University of Cambridge)}}
{{Founding members of the World Cultural Council}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Todd, Alexander R.}}
[[Category:1907 births]]
[[Category:1997 deaths]]
[[Category:Scientists from Glasgow]]
[[Category:People educated at Allan Glen's School]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Glasgow]]
[[Category:Alumni of Oriel College, Oxford]]
[[Category:Academics of the University of Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Academics of the University of Hertfordshire]]
[[Category:Academics of the University of London]]
[[Category:Academics of the Victoria University of Manchester]]
[[Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Fellows of the Royal Society]]
[[Category:Foreign associates of the National Academy of Sciences]]
[[Category:Foreign members of the Russian Academy of Sciences]]
[[Category:Foreign members of the USSR Academy of Sciences]]
[[Category:Founding members of the World Cultural Council]]
[[Category:Professors of chemistry (Cambridge, 1702)]]
[[Category:Goethe University Frankfurt alumni]]
[[Category:History of genetics]]
[[Category:Knights Bachelor]]
[[Category:Crossbench life peers]]
[[Category:Masters of Christ's College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:Members of the Austrian Academy of Sciences]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of Merit]]
[[Category:Nobel laureates in Chemistry]]
[[Category:Presidents of the Royal Society]]
[[Category:People associated with the University of Strathclyde]]
[[Category:Presidents of the British Science Association]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Copley Medal]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)]]
[[Category:Royal Medal winners]]
[[Category:Scottish biochemists]]
[[Category:Scottish biologists]]
[[Category:20th-century Scottish chemists]]
[[Category:Scottish Nobel laureates]]
[[Category:People from Oakington]]
[[Category:People from Trumpington]]
[[Category:20th-century British biologists]]
[[Category:Vitamin researchers]]
[[Category:Life peers created by Elizabeth II]]
[[Category:International members of the American Philosophical Society]]
[[Category:British Nobel laureates]]