Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Eduard Buchner

May 1860, Munich – 13 August 1917, Focsani, Romania

Eduard Buchner studied chemistry and botany at the University of Munich, where he also became a lecturer and professor. He spent the longest period of his career in Berlin, where from 1898 until 1909 he taught at the Agricultural College (Landwirtschaftliche Hochschule) Berlin, which was incorporated as a faculty of Humboldt-Universität in 1934.

Using fermentation experiments with chemically killed yeast cells, Buchner proved that it was not the living yeast cells that were necessary for fermentation, but an enzyme produced by the cells.

He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1907 for his biochemical research and his discovery of cell-free fermentation.