Alexander Spirin

Alexander Sergeevich Spirin (Russian: Александр Сергеевич Спирин) (born September 4, 1931) is a Russian biochemist, professor of Moscow State University, a former Director of Institute of Protein Research Russian Academy of Sciences, Puschino (Пущино-на-Оке), Moscow Region (Московская Область), Academician of Russian Academy of Sciences. His primary scientific interests reside in the field of biochemistry of nucleic acids, and protein biosynthesis.

In 1957 together with Andrey Nikolayevich Belozersky (Андрей Николаевич Белозерский) he conducted comparative analysis of bacterial DNA and RNA, and predicted existence of messenger RNA. He gave the first qualitative description of the structure of high-polymer RNA (1959–61). In 1963 he discovered the structural transitions of ribosomes and formulated one of the principles of structure of ribosomes. He discovered an artificial ribosomal self-assembly (1963–66). Proposed a molecular mechanism of the ribosome role in protein synthesis (1968). He conducted an extra-cellular protein synthesis on modified ribosomes — non-enzymatic translation (together with L.P. Gavrilova) (1970–74).

Dr. Spirin was awarded the Sir Hans Krebs Medal in 1969, elected an Honorary Fellow of University of Granada in 1972 and awarded the prestigious Demidov Prize in 2013.