Gottfried Schatz
Gottfried Schatz (18 August 1936 – 1 October 2015) was a Swiss-Austrian
biochemist.
Life and career
Schatz was born in Strem. Upon obtaining his PhD in chemistry and
biochemistry at the University of Graz (Austria), he did postdoctoral work at
the University of Vienna and at "The Public Health Institute" of the City of
New York. In 1968, he emigrated to the US in order to assume a
Gottfried Schatz
professorship Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Six years later, he
returned to Europe in order to join the newly created Biozentrum[1] at the
University of Basel, which he chaired from 1983 to 1985, From 1984 to 1989 he was Secretary General
of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO). After his retirement in 2000, he presided the
Swiss Science and Technology Council (SSTC) until 2003. He is the author of more than 200 professional
publications as well as of two books of essays on the broader implications of science. His scientific
autobiography Interplanetary travels[2] was published in 2000.
Schatz died on 1 October 2015, aged 79.[3]
Work
Schatz played a leading role in elucidating the biogenesis of mitochondria and in discovering
mitochondrial DNA.[4] He recognized that this DNA encoded only a small number of mitochondrial
proteins which was decisive for his further research on the import of proteins into the mitochondria and
the degradation of proteins within these organelles. Schatz discovered a complex transport system that
recognizes mitochondrial proteins made in the cytoplasm by specific signals attached to these proteins
and then transfers them into the mitochondria. This system comprises two protein complexes, TOM and
TIM, which are localized in the outer and inner mitochondrial membranes respectively. Mutations in
these complexes can disrupt protein import and cause illnesses such as the neurodegenerative Mohr-
Tranebjaerg syndrome, which leads to deafness. Schatz also demonstrated that the energy-requiring
protease Lon regulates protein turnover within the mitochondria, thus maintaining the integrity and the
proper functioning of mitochondrial DNA. Gottfried Schatz is the author of more than 200 scientific
publications, three volumes of essays, an autobiography and a novel. His books have appeared in English,
French, Greek and Czech translation.[5]
Honorary memberships and prizes
1967 Innitzer Prize
1983 Emil Christian Hansen Gold Medal, Carlsberg Foundation
1985 Honorary Member, Japanese Biochemical Society
1986 Sir Hans Krebs Medal, Federation of European Biochemical Societies
1985 Member, German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
1987 Foreign Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
1988 Otto Warburg Medal, Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Germany
1988 Member, Academia Europaea
1989 Foreign Associate, US National Academy of Sciences
1990 Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine[6]
1991 Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class
1992 Prix Marcel Benoist
1993 Schleiden Medal, Deutsche Akademie Leopoldina
1993 Foreign Associate, Austrian Academy of Sciences
1994 Member, North Rhine-Westphalia Academy for Sciences and Arts
1996 Honorary Doctorate, Comenius University in Bratislava
1997 Lynen Medal, University of Miami, USA
1997 Foreign Member, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
1998 Gairdner Foundation International Award, Toronto
1998 Foreign Member, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences[7]
2000 Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver for Services to the Republic of Austria[8]
2000 Honorary Doctorate, Stockholm University
2000 E. B. Wilson Medal, American Society of Cell Biology
2004 Feltrinelli Prize, Rome
2006 Reinach Prize
2008 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
2009 Austrian Decoration for Science and Art[9]
2009 European Prize for Culture in Science,[10] European Foundation for Culture «Pro
Europa»[11]
2010 International Austrian of the Year
References
1. "Biozentrum History" (http://www.biozentrum.unibas.ch/about-us/biozentrum-at-a-glance/hist
ory/emeriti/gottfried-schatz/). Biozentrum.unibas.ch. Retrieved 2015-10-04.
2. Gottfried Schatz: Interplanetary travels – A scientific autobiography (Selected Topics in the
History of Biochemistry, edited by G. Semenza and R. Jaenicke: Personal Recollections VI –
Comprehensive Biochemistry Vol.41, Chapter 9, p. 449-530 – Elsevier Science B.V., 2000)
3. "Wissenschaft – Biochemiker Gottfried Schatz verstorben > Kleine Zeitung" (https://web.arc
hive.org/web/20151002220929/http://www.kleinezeitung.at/s/steiermark/graz/4834638/Wiss
enschaft_Biochemiker-Gottfried-Schatz-verstorben). Archived from the original (http://www.k
leinezeitung.at/s/steiermark/graz/4834638/Wissenschaft_Biochemiker-Gottfried-Schatz-vers
torben) on 2015-10-02.
4. Ellen Haslbrunner, Hans Tuppy and Gottfried Schatz (1964 at the Institut for Biochemistry at
the Medical Faculty of the University of Vienna in Vienna, Austria): "Deoxyribonucleic Acid
Associated with Yeast Mitochondria" (http://www.biozentrum.unibas.ch/emeritus/schatz/pdf/
Schatz_BBRC_1964.pdf) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20080910184516/http://ww
w.biozentrum.unibas.ch/emeritus/schatz/pdf/Schatz_BBRC_1964.pdf) 2008-09-10 at the
Wayback Machine (PDF) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 15, 127 – 132.
5. "Wissenschaft – Biochemiker Gottfried Schatz verstorben" (http://www.kleinezeitung.at/s/stei
ermark/graz/4834638/Wissenschaft_Biochemiker-Gottfried-Schatz-verstorben). Kleine
Zeitung. 2 October 2015.
6. "Professor Gottfried SCHATZ | Jeantet" (https://www.jeantet.ch/en/prix-louis-jeantet/laureat
s/1990-en/professeur-gottfried-schatz/). October 1, 2017.
7. "G. Schatz" (https://web.archive.org/web/20160214182855/https://www.knaw.nl/en/member
s/foreign-members/4742). Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. Archived from
the original (https://www.knaw.nl/en/members/foreign-members/4742) on 14 February 2016.
Retrieved 14 February 2016.
8. "Reply to a parliamentary question" (http://www.parlament.gv.at/PAKT/VHG/XXIV/AB/AB_10
542/imfname_251156.pdf) (PDF) (in German). p. 1359. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
9. "Reply to a parliamentary question" (http://www.parlament.gv.at/PAKT/VHG/XXIV/AB/AB_10
542/imfname_251156.pdf) (PDF) (in German). p. 1908. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
10. "Gottfried Schatz erhält europäischen Preis für Wissenschaftskultur" (http://idw-online.de/pa
ges/de/news330416). idw-online.de.
11. "Europäische Kulturstiftung Pro Europa" (http://www.europaeische-kulturstiftung.de/).
europaeische-kulturstiftung.de. 26 February 2011.
Books for a general audience
Gottfried Schatz: Feuersucher: Die Jagd nach dem Geheimnis der Lebensenergie – NZZ
Buchverlag, Zürich, 2011 – ISBN 3-03823-677-2
Gottfried Schatz: A Matter of Wonder. What Biology Reveals about Us, Our World, and Our
Dreams (Translated by A. Shields). S. Karger AG, Basel, 2011 – ISBN 978-3-8055-9744-9
Gottfried Schatz: Jeff’s View on Science and Scientists,. Elsevier BV/FEBS 2006 –
ISBN 978-0-444-52133-0
Gottfried Schatz: Jenseits der Gene. Essays über unser Wesen, unsere Welt und unsere
Träume, NZZ Libro, 2012 (4. Aufl.) – ISBN 978-3-03823-780-8; Audio Version on CD: Kein &
Aber, 2008 – ISBN 978-3-0369-1246-2
Gottfried Schatz: Die Welt in der wir leben: Ein Biologe über unser Wesen, unsere Träume
und den Grund der Dinge – Herder, 2010 – ISBN 3-451-05792-1 (vergriffen).
Gottfried Schatz: Feuersucher: Die Jagd nach dem Geheimnis der Lebensenergie. NZZ
Libro, Zürich 2011, ISBN 978-3-03823-677-1.
Gottfried Schatz: Zaubergarten Biologie. Wie biologische Entdeckungen unser
Menschenbild prägen. NZZ Libro, Zürich 2012, ISBN 978-3-03823-753-2
Postdoc, Roman, Styria-Verlag, 2015, ISBN 978-3-222-13486-9
External links
Media related to Gottfried Schatz at Wikimedia Commons
Quotations related to Gottfried Schatz at Wikiquote
Gottfried Schatz: List of professional publications (https://web.archive.org/web/20090530110
049/http://www.biozentrum.unibas.ch/emeritus/schatz/pub_schatz.pdf) (pdf)
Gottfried Schatz: Academic education and professional experience / Scientific mandates –
Biozentrum Basel (https://web.archive.org/web/20080211052100/http://www.biozentrum.uni
bas.ch/emeritus/schatz/schatz_cv.html)
Gottfried Schatz: Homepage / Extended CV – Biozentrum Basel (https://web.archive.org/we
b/20080622041320/http://www.biozentrum.unibas.ch/emeritus/schatz/index_d.html)
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