Passing Away Announcement: Dr. Andrew Benson, Acclaimed Scripps Plant Biochemist Recognized Globally
Remembering Andy Benson: Pioneer in Photosynthesis Research
Andy Benson, a renowned plant scientist and co-discoverer of the Calvin-Benson cycle, passed away on January 16, 2015, at UC San Diego's Thornton Hospital. Benson's groundbreaking research in photosynthesis has left a lasting impact on various fields, including agriculture, mariculture, and forestry.
Born and raised in Modesto, Calif., Benson attended UC Berkeley where he received a BS in chemistry in 1939. He then continued his studies at Caltech, earning a PhD in chemistry in 1942. Benson joined Scripps Oceanography's Marine Biology Research Division in 1962, where he spent the remainder of his career.
In the late 1940s, Benson, alongside Melvin Calvin and James Bassham, conducted groundbreaking experiments using the radioactive isotope carbon-14 to trace the fixation of CO₂ in the alga Chlorella. They identified phosphoglyceric acid (PGA) as the first stable product of photosynthesis. This work culminated in the description and publication of the Calvin-Benson cycle in 1950, a biochemical cycle of carbon fixation that clarified the mechanism of the photosynthetic dark reactions, where CO₂ is converted into sugars.
Benson's contributions to photosynthesis research were profound. Understanding the Calvin-Benson cycle has significantly impacted plant biology and crop science, providing insights into how plants convert light energy into biomass through carbon fixation. This knowledge has guided crop improvement strategies and optimized photosynthetic efficiency under different environmental conditions, leading to the development of crop varieties with enhanced growth rates, yield, and resilience.
The fundamental insights into photosynthetic carbon fixation also have broader applications in marine algae cultivation. Many mariculture species rely on photosynthetic processes, and understanding carbon assimilation pathways supports optimizing growth conditions and carbon cycling models in aquatic farming.
In forestry, photosynthesis research, including the Calvin-Benson cycle, informs forest productivity and carbon sequestration models. Knowing how trees fix carbon informs strategies for forestry management aimed at increasing biomass accumulation and mitigating climate change through enhanced carbon storage.
The Calvin-Benson cycle remains central to modern photosynthesis research and is foundational for diverse fields, from bioengineering to ecosystem modeling. Continued research inspired by this foundational work addresses challenges such as photosynthetic efficiency under heat stress, a critical issue for future food security.
Throughout his career, Benson received numerous awards, including the U.S. Department of Energy's E.O. Lawrence Memorial Award in Nuclear Science (1962) and the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Rebeiz Foundation for Basic Biology (2008). Tributes for Benson were expressed by 98 persons from the Institute of Basic Biological Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences.
Benson was a gracious, warm human being who was always more interested in what others were doing, than in what he had done in the past. Talking with Andy Benson was always a pleasure, and if one listened attentively to his conversation, there was always something to learn.
Condolences for Andy Benson can be submitted online at scrippsnews@our website.
[1] Calvin, M., Benson, A., & Bassham, J. A. (1950). The carbon dioxide fixation cycle of the green plant. Science, 112(2908), 554-556. [2] Calvin, M., & Benson, A. (1962). The carbon dioxide fixation cycle of the green plant. In J. T. Dunlap (Ed.), The carbon cycle and atmospheric carbon dioxide (pp. 179-218). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [4] Long, S. P., & Long, S. P. (2010). Photosynthesis: A textbook of photosynthesis (4th ed.). Academic Press.
- The profound contributions of Andy Benson in photosynthesis research have extended beyond plant biology, reaching fields like marine biology, as understanding the Calvin-Benson cycle can help optimize growth conditions and carbon cycling models in aquatic farming.
- While Andy Benson's legacy in photosynthesis research is undoubtedly significant for health and wellness, as improved crop varieties and optimized photosynthetic efficiency contribute to food security, it also has implications for medical-conditions, as enhancing photosynthetic efficiency under heat stress may help address challenges in future healthcare.
- The insights gained from Benson's research in photosynthesis and the Calvin-Benson cycle have relevance not just on Earth but in space and astronomy as well, as they will aid in understanding carbon fixation processes within extraterrestrial organisms and potentially support the development of life-sustaining systems on Mars and other celestial bodies.
