Dr. John B. Fenn (born June 15, 1917) is a research professor of analytical chemistry who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2002. Fenn won the award for his work in the field of mass spectrometry, specifically for the electrospray ionization technique often used to identify and analyze biological macromolecules.
Fenn's discovery quickly produced broad practical benefits. For example, it rapidly increased the speed with which complex new pharmaceutical compounds could be evaluated, leading directly to the development of life-saving AIDS medications (protease inhibitors) in the mid-1990s.
Fenn, who grew up in Kentucky, earned an A.B. from Berea College and a Ph.D. from Yale University. Fighting age discrimination and a University-mandated move to smaller laboratory space, Fenn was 70 years old before he began work on what would in time become his Nobel Prize-winning discovery.
Fenn joined Virginia Commonwealth University in 1994 as professor of analytical chemistry, after more than 20 years at Yale University.
The patent rights to electrospray ionization became the subject of a legal case between Yale University and Fenn, and on February 8, 2005 Yale was awarded over one million dollars and partial patent rights to the technique.
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