CHEMIST
Maclyn McCarty
1911 - 2005

Maclyn McCarty
Maclyn McCarty (June 9, 1911 – January 2, 2005) was an American geneticist, a research scientist described in 2005 as "the last surviving member of a Manhattan scientific team that overturned medical dogma in the 1940s and became the first to demonstrate that genes were made of DNA." He had worked at Rockefeller University "for more than 60 years." 1994 marked 50 years since this work's release. McCarty devoted his life as a physician-scientist to studying infectious disease organisms, and was best known for his part in the monumental discovery that DNA, rather than protein, constituted the chemical nature of a gene. Uncovering the molecular secret of the gene in question — that for the capsular polysaccharide of pneumococcal bacteria — led the way to studying heredity not only through genetics but also through chemistry. The team responsible for this feat is known as the Avery–MacLeod–McCarty experiment. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Maclyn McCarty is the 394th most popular chemist (up from 460th in 2019), the 4,061st most popular biography from United States (up from 5,566th in 2019) and the 77th most popular American Chemist.
Memorability Metrics
Page views of Maclyn McCarty by language
Among CHEMISTS
Among chemists, Maclyn McCarty ranks 394 out of 602. Before him are Charles Frédéric Gerhardt, George Sarton, Mathieu Orfila, Heinrich Rose, Nicolas Lemery, and Fausto Elhuyar. After him are Adolph Frank, Ferdinand Reich, Eric Betzig, Jennifer Doudna, Koichi Tanaka, and Otto Ambros.
Most Popular Chemists in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsCharles Frédéric Gerhardt
1816 - 1856
HPI: 61.01
Rank: 388
George Sarton
1884 - 1956
HPI: 61.01
Rank: 389
Mathieu Orfila
1787 - 1853
HPI: 60.97
Rank: 390
Heinrich Rose
1795 - 1864
HPI: 60.94
Rank: 391
Nicolas Lemery
1645 - 1715
HPI: 60.87
Rank: 392
Fausto Elhuyar
1755 - 1833
HPI: 60.81
Rank: 393
Maclyn McCarty
1911 - 2005
HPI: 60.79
Rank: 394
Adolph Frank
1834 - 1916
HPI: 60.68
Rank: 395
Ferdinand Reich
1799 - 1882
HPI: 60.64
Rank: 396
Eric Betzig
1960 - Present
HPI: 60.63
Rank: 397
Jennifer Doudna
1964 - Present
HPI: 60.61
Rank: 398
Koichi Tanaka
1959 - Present
HPI: 60.53
Rank: 399
Otto Ambros
1901 - 1990
HPI: 60.53
Rank: 400
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1911, Maclyn McCarty ranks 143. Before him are Sidney Wood, José María Arguedas, Mikhail Yangel, Merle Oberon, Mstislav Keldysh, and Aliya bint Ali. After him are William T. Stearn, Tilly Fleischer, George Borg Olivier, Leah Goldberg, Otakar Vávra, and Mirzo Tursunzoda. Among people deceased in 2005, Maclyn McCarty ranks 113. Before him are George P. Cosmatos, Eddie Guerrero, Corrado Bafile, Frits Philips, Maurice Hilleman, and Jair da Rosa Pinto. After him are Tonino Delli Colli, Sandra Dee, Alain Bombard, Tilly Fleischer, Polina Astakhova, and Edward Bunker.
Others Born in 1911
Go to all RankingsSidney Wood
TENNIS PLAYER
1911 - 2009
HPI: 61.18
Rank: 137
José María Arguedas
WRITER
1911 - 1969
HPI: 61.16
Rank: 138
Mikhail Yangel
ENGINEER
1911 - 1971
HPI: 61.12
Rank: 139
Merle Oberon
ACTOR
1911 - 1979
HPI: 61.09
Rank: 140
Mstislav Keldysh
ENGINEER
1911 - 1978
HPI: 60.98
Rank: 141
Aliya bint Ali
NOBLEMAN
1911 - 1950
HPI: 60.97
Rank: 142
Maclyn McCarty
CHEMIST
1911 - 2005
HPI: 60.79
Rank: 143
William T. Stearn
BIOLOGIST
1911 - 2001
HPI: 60.74
Rank: 144
Tilly Fleischer
ATHLETE
1911 - 2005
HPI: 60.71
Rank: 145
George Borg Olivier
POLITICIAN
1911 - 1980
HPI: 60.58
Rank: 146
Leah Goldberg
WRITER
1911 - 1970
HPI: 60.58
Rank: 147
Otakar Vávra
FILM DIRECTOR
1911 - 2011
HPI: 60.48
Rank: 148
Mirzo Tursunzoda
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1911 - 1977
HPI: 60.39
Rank: 149
Others Deceased in 2005
Go to all RankingsGeorge P. Cosmatos
FILM DIRECTOR
1941 - 2005
HPI: 61.03
Rank: 107
Eddie Guerrero
WRESTLER
1967 - 2005
HPI: 60.95
Rank: 108
Corrado Bafile
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1903 - 2005
HPI: 60.93
Rank: 109
Frits Philips
BUSINESSPERSON
1905 - 2005
HPI: 60.90
Rank: 110
Maurice Hilleman
POLITICIAN
1919 - 2005
HPI: 60.89
Rank: 111
Jair da Rosa Pinto
SOCCER PLAYER
1921 - 2005
HPI: 60.81
Rank: 112
Maclyn McCarty
CHEMIST
1911 - 2005
HPI: 60.79
Rank: 113
Tonino Delli Colli
FILM DIRECTOR
1923 - 2005
HPI: 60.79
Rank: 114
Sandra Dee
ACTOR
1942 - 2005
HPI: 60.77
Rank: 115
Alain Bombard
BIOLOGIST
1924 - 2005
HPI: 60.77
Rank: 116
Tilly Fleischer
ATHLETE
1911 - 2005
HPI: 60.71
Rank: 117
Polina Astakhova
POLITICIAN
1936 - 2005
HPI: 60.66
Rank: 118
Edward Bunker
WRITER
1933 - 2005
HPI: 60.64
Rank: 119
In United States
Among people born in United States, Maclyn McCarty ranks 4,061 out of 20,380. Before him are Sam Giancana (1908), Mira Sorvino (1967), Luther Burbank (1849), Morgan Taylor (1903), Colleen Hoover (1979), and Desmond Child (1953). After him are Mabel Normand (1892), John McCook (1944), Tim Buckley (1947), Martin Brest (1951), Laurens Hammond (1895), and Johnny Horton (1925).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsSam Giancana
EXTREMIST
1908 - 1975
HPI: 60.80
Rank: 4,055
Mira Sorvino
ACTOR
1967 - Present
HPI: 60.80
Rank: 4,056
Luther Burbank
BIOLOGIST
1849 - 1926
HPI: 60.80
Rank: 4,057
Morgan Taylor
ATHLETE
1903 - 1975
HPI: 60.80
Rank: 4,058
Colleen Hoover
WRITER
1979 - Present
HPI: 60.80
Rank: 4,059
Desmond Child
MUSICIAN
1953 - Present
HPI: 60.80
Rank: 4,060
Maclyn McCarty
CHEMIST
1911 - 2005
HPI: 60.79
Rank: 4,061
Mabel Normand
ACTOR
1892 - 1930
HPI: 60.79
Rank: 4,062
John McCook
ACTOR
1944 - Present
HPI: 60.79
Rank: 4,063
Tim Buckley
MUSICIAN
1947 - 1975
HPI: 60.79
Rank: 4,064
Martin Brest
FILM DIRECTOR
1951 - Present
HPI: 60.79
Rank: 4,065
Laurens Hammond
INVENTOR
1895 - 1973
HPI: 60.79
Rank: 4,066
Johnny Horton
MUSICIAN
1925 - 1960
HPI: 60.79
Rank: 4,067
Among CHEMISTS In United States
Among chemists born in United States, Maclyn McCarty ranks 77. Before him are Louis E. Brus (1943), Alexander Shulgin (1925), Alice Ball (1892), Albert Ghiorso (1915), Edward Calvin Kendall (1972), and Isabella Karle (1921). After him are Eric Betzig (1960), Jennifer Doudna (1964), Roy J. Plunkett (1910), George Church (1954), Frank Wigglesworth Clarke (1847), and James Crafts (1839).
Louis E. Brus
1943 - Present
HPI: 63.32
Rank: 71
Alexander Shulgin
1925 - 2014
HPI: 63.09
Rank: 72
Alice Ball
1892 - 1916
HPI: 62.23
Rank: 73
Albert Ghiorso
1915 - 2010
HPI: 61.59
Rank: 74
Edward Calvin Kendall
1972 - 1972
HPI: 61.08
Rank: 75
Isabella Karle
1921 - 2017
HPI: 61.07
Rank: 76
Maclyn McCarty
1911 - 2005
HPI: 60.79
Rank: 77
Eric Betzig
1960 - Present
HPI: 60.63
Rank: 78
Jennifer Doudna
1964 - Present
HPI: 60.61
Rank: 79
Roy J. Plunkett
1910 - 1994
HPI: 60.43
Rank: 80
George Church
1954 - Present
HPI: 59.90
Rank: 81
Frank Wigglesworth Clarke
1847 - 1931
HPI: 59.49
Rank: 82
James Crafts
1839 - 1917
HPI: 58.81
Rank: 83