Alfred Hershey was born in 1908 in Michigan. He received his PhD in bacteriology in 1934 from Michigan State University. In the 1950s, Hershey partnered with Martha Chase to conduct experiments tracking the transfer of proteins and DNA between viruses and bacteria. Using radioactive labeling, they found that DNA, not proteins, was transferred from the virus to the host bacterium, providing strong evidence that DNA is the genetic material. For this seminal work, Hershey and Chase were awarded the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Hershey made many other contributions before his death in 1997 and is remembered as a pioneer in understanding the chemical basis of heredity.

2. Early Life and Education
• On December 4 1908, Alfred Hershey was born in Owosso
Michigan.
• In 1930, while attending Michigan State University, he
received his B.S. in chemistry, and his Ph.D in bacteriology in
1934.
• Shortly after graduating, Hershey began work in the
Department of Bacteriology at Washington University.
• He moved to New York in 1950 to join the Department of
Genetics.

3. DNA
Alfred Hershey’s Book,
• In 1952, Alfred Hershey Partnered “We Can Sleep Later
with Martha Chase to conduct various
experiments which led to the
confirmation that DNA was genetic
material.
• Hershey believed that proteins were
carriers of genetic information. In
order to prove this, he tracked the
transfer of proteins and DNA between
virus and its host.
• But Hershey and Chase needed to
demonstrate that a portion of protein
mass was transferred to the inside of
the bacterium. So they conducted
experiments with a blender.
• After this discovery, Alfred Hershey
wrote the book, “We Can Sleep Later.”

4. Blender • Alfred Hershey and Martha
Experiments Chase in 1953
In their first experiment, they tagged
DNA with Phosphorous-32. The
researchers could track the location
of DNA and protein according to the
radiation concentrations. They added
the bacterial sample and blended the
infected bacteria. This caused the
proteins shells to detach. They
separated the bacterium from
protein. After completing their
experiment, they found that a
protein shell was not needed for
replication process following the
insertion of genetic material.

5. DEATH AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Alfred Hershey died on May 22,
1997. He is remembered mostly for
his contributions to the
understanding of the chemical
basis of heredity. Hershey is
revered for his unwavering respect
of the scientific method and of his
scientist colleagues. In 1962, Alfred
Hershey was awarded the Noble
Prize in Medicine. Hershey was
most remembered and respected
for his contribution and discovery
of DNA replication with Martha
Chase in 1952

6. Hershey Bar

7. References:
http://paulingblog.wordpress.com/
2009/08/18/the-hershey-chase-
blender-experiments/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred
_Hershey
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hersh
ey-Chase_experiment