Robert Haselkorn

Robert Haselkorn (1934–2025) was an American molecular biologist and microbiologist who spent his career at the University of Chicago, where he helped establish cyanobacteria as model organisms for studies of nitrogen fixation, photosynthesis, and prokaryotic development. His work helped establish cyanobacterial molecular genetics and contributed broadly to molecular biology through early advances in viral RNA biology, genome sequencing, and gene regulation. He earned an AB degree from Princeton University in 1956, where he was active as coxswain on the university's crew team. He held appointments in biophysics, molecular genetics and cell biology, and chemistry, and was later named a Distinguished Service Professor.

Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1987)

Elected to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1984)

Elected to the American Philosophical Society

Recipient of the Gregor Mendel Medal in Biological Science from the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic

Awarded a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship

Recipient of the Quantrell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching at the University of Chicago (twice)

Served on the Board of Trustees of the Marine Biological Laboratory (2003–2010; 2012–2015), and named Trustee Emeritus (2015)