Hans Noll

Hans Noll (born August 21, 1926, in Berlin, Germany; died November 21, 2023, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) was a German-American biochemist. He is best known for his work on ribosomes and the development of zonal centrifugation techniques for separating biological macromolecules.

Noll received his Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of Basel in Switzerland in 1951. He subsequently worked at the University of Pittsburgh's Department of Biological Sciences from 1956 until his retirement.

His research focused primarily on the structure and function of ribosomes, the cellular organelles responsible for protein synthesis. He developed innovative methods for isolating and characterizing ribosomes, including zonal centrifugation, which allowed for the separation of ribosomes and other cellular components based on their size and density. This technique proved crucial in advancing the understanding of ribosome structure and function.

Noll also made significant contributions to the understanding of protein synthesis and the role of mRNA in this process. His work helped to elucidate the mechanisms by which genetic information is translated into proteins.