Frank W. Putnam

Frank W. Putnam (born August 3, 1917 – November 29, 2006) was an American biochemist and university professor.

Early life and education Frank W. Putnam was born August 3, 1917, in New Britain, Connecticut. He attended Wesleyan University, where he received his B.A. in Chemistry in 1939 and an M.A. in Chemistry in 1940. In 1942, he received his PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Minnesota.

Research Putnam's research focused on the structure and function of blood proteins associated with the development of immunity to disease in animals. His early research involved the development of methods for determining the molecular structure of proteins. Later, Putnam's research focused on the biology and chemistry of bacterial viruses, research that was important in developing molecular biology. The majority of his career dealt with the study of the Bence-Jones proteins and their relation to the molecular structure of antibodies. He is the author of over 100 published scientific articles on these subjects.