Henrik Carl Peter Dam

Henrik Carl Peter Dam, born in February 1895 in Denmark, discovered vitamin K. He won, but had to shared the Nobel Prize with American, Edward Adelbert Doisy, in 1943. Dam graduated from the chemistry department of the Polytechnic Institute, Copenhagen in 1920. After graduating he went on to teach chemistry at the School of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine. Shortly after his teaching career began at the School of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, he progressed in to teaching biochemistry at the Physiological Laboratory of the University of Copenhagen, 1923. After teaching as an associate professor at the Physiological Laboratory of the University of Copenhagen, he became the head of the biochemistry department after earning his PhD in biochemistry.

Dam discovered vitamin K while studying the sterol metabolism of chicks in Copenhagen. After the initial discovery of vitamin K, he studied this vitamin further with respect to its occurrence and biological function in animals and plants, as well as its application in human medicine, its fundamental chemical and physical properties and its purification and isolation - the latter part of this research being carried out in collaboration with P. Karrer.

Dam later returned to Polytechnic Institute, Copenhagen to become the head professor of the biochemistry and nutrient department.

Dam was married with no children.

Picture of Dam:
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1943/

Bio:
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1943/dam-bio.html


Vitamin K:
http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9075561/vitamin-K