The Scientist of Life
Biography
The figure of Joan Oró Florensa
He was a Catalan biochemist, whose studies have been key to understanding the origin of life on our planet.
Biography
Joan Oró Florensa was born on October 26, 1923 in La Bordeta, Lleida. The son of a family of bakers, from an early age he was interested in the role of humanity in the universe. He graduated in Chemical Sciences at the University of Barcelona in 1947. In 1952 he emigrated to the United States and in 1956 he received his doctorate in biochemistry from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. In 1955 he entered the University of Houston, and in 1963 he was appointed a professor. His doctoral thesis studied the metabolism of formic acid in animal tissues.
One of his most important contributions was in 1959, when he managed to synthesize adenine, a component of nucleic acids, molecules that transmit biological inheritance from hydrocyanic acid and ammonia in an aqueous solution.
From 1963 he collaborated in various NASA space research projects, such as the Apollo project for the analysis of rocks and other samples of material from the Moon, and the Viking program for the development of an instrument for the molecular analysis of the atmosphere and surface matter of the planet Mars.
He returned to Catalonia in 1980 to collaborate in new energy development plans and the study of alternative sources of energy. He was a CiU deputy for Lleida in the Parliament of Catalonia (1980-1981) and advisor on scientific issues to the President of the Generalitat. The conditions that the country offered him did not allow him to make a quality search and he returned to Houston, until retirement, in 1994.
He died in Barcelona on September 2, 2004. Cremated in the Montjuïc Cemetery, the ashes were taken to the cemetery of Lleida.
Chronology
Chronology
Joan Oró Florensa
Chronology
Legacy
The legacy of scientist Joan Oró
It corresponds to the discipline of Biochemistry, he was one of the most important scientists in the study of the origin of life, and he was the first to synthesize adenine in a laboratory, in addition to participating in several space projects at NASA.
Legacy
The legacy of the scientist Joan Oró corresponds to the discipline of Biochemistry, he was one of the most important scientists in the study of the origin of life, and he was the first to synthesize adenine in a laboratory, in addition to participating in several space projects at NASA.
Dr. Joan Oró developed most of his career as a scientist in the United States, as a professor at the University of Houston and collaborating with NASA, but he has always maintained the Catalan spirit. For this reason, the Joan Oró Foundation has decided to recover all his legacy and to be able to carry out studies that allow us to take advantage of his knowledge.
The legacy was transferred from Houston in April 1999 and is housed in the new facilities of the Joan Oró Foundation in the Parque de Gardeny (Lleida).
Scientific publications:
A total of 20 books where the author or co-author is present.
A total of 240 articles where the author or co-author is present.
A total of 155 scientific abstracts where the author or co-author is present.
Theses and dissertations:
A total of 48 theses and dissertations of research works of a name by scientists who worked in his laboratory, some of them winning international awards.
Files:
Files related to his scientific activities carried out by NASA, mainly to participation in the Apollo and Viking projects, and to NASA advisory committees in which he has advised space projects. It consists of thousands of pages arranged in folders.
Files related to his scientific studies in the laboratory at the University of Houston where he created the department. It would be thousands of pages.
Scientific meetings:
Material from the more than 30 international scientific meetings it has organized.
Correspondence:
Material of correspondence between the professor and many other researchers on scientific projects.
Audiovisual equipment:
Photographs, slides and other audiovisual material.
Samples:
Samples basically of extraterrestrial meteorites estimated to be more than 4,500 million years old. As well as other terrestrial samples.
Moon Model:
It has been loaned by NASA, the model of the moon that the Apollo astronauts (from 11 to 17) used before going. It is approximately 2 m in diameter.
Books:
It has a library of approximately 3,000 volumes of books and monographs.
