Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1970 (with Ulf von Euler and Julius Axelrod) "for discoveries concerning the humoral transmittors in the nerve terminals and the mechanism for their storage, release and inactivation" Sir Bernard Katz was born on March 26th 1911, in Leipzig, Germany, of Russian Jewish origin. Katz did his initial schooling at Konig Albert Gymnasium in Leipzig, before attending the University of Leipzig in 1929 as a medical student. However, Katz’s school days were not pleasant because of his racial background. As a result of the ill treatment by his friends and tutors he decided to leave the country immediately after his degree. He was accepted as a PhD student at the University College, London in 1935 under the supervision of Professor A.V. Hill, and completed his PhD in 1938 with a research fellowship. In 1939, Katz was invited to study with John Carew Eccles (Nobel Prize winner 1963) at Sydney Hospital, Australia, as a Carnegie Research Fellow. There he joined with Stephen Kuffler and Eccles to work on signal transmission at the neuromuscular junction (a point where the nerves communicate with the muscles). This study later provided the basis for a study of cell communication. Katz received Australian citizenship in 1941 and joined the Royal Australian Air force in 1942 as a radar officer. In 1942, Katz returned to A.V. Hill’s research unit as Assistant Director of research and later in 1952 he became the Head of the Department of Biophysics. During this period Katz’s work focused on the biochemistry and action of acetylcholine, the transmitter molecule responsible for muscle activation. During the 1960s Katz studied issues related to transmitter release, in which he proved the requirement of calcium entry for transmitter release. He continued with this work into the 1970s and was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1970 for his contributions in studies related to transmitters in the nerve terminals. Katz’s studies into neuromuscular transmission led to other important studies, such as the effect of toxic gases and pesticides on the nerve system. He retired from University College, London as head of Biophysics in 1978 and worked as Biological Secretary for the Council of the Royal Society. In April 2003, Katz died at the age of 92. | 
