Robert L. Letsinger


Robert Lewis Letsinger was an American biochemist and was a professor of chemistry at Northwestern University. He was best known for his research and development of chemical synthesis of DNA.

Life

Letsinger earned his B.S. in 1943 his Ph.D. in 1945, both at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 1946, he joined the department of chemistry at Northwestern University. He retired from teaching in 1991 as the emeritus Clare Hamilton Hall Professor.

Work

In the 1960s, Letsinger developed methods for solid phase synthesis of oligonucleotides, including the phosphoric triester method and the phosphoramidite synthesis. He thus laid the foundations for efficient automated synthesis of gene fragments and thus the rapid development of molecular biology.
Letsingers later dealt with nanotechnology and its application in DNA diagnostics. In 2000, Letsinger was one of the founders of the biotechnology company Nanosphere Inc.

Awards

Letsinger was married to Dorothy Thompson in 1943. The couple had three children.