Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 30, 2026

Ignacio Tinoco Jr.

Ignacio "Nacho" Tinoco Jr. was a Professor of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley from 1956 to 2016.

Last revised
Jun 30, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
504 w
Citations
13
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Ignacio Tinoco Jr.
Born(1930-11-22)November 22, 1930
DiedNovember 15, 2016(2016-11-15) (aged 85)
EducationUniversity of New Mexico, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Yale University
Known forPioneering work on RNA folding and the secondary structures of ribonucleic acid
Scientific career
FieldsChemistry
InstitutionsUniversity of California, Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
John D. Ferry
Other academic advisors
John G. Kirkwood
Doctoral students
Carlos Bustamante, Charles Cantor
Other notable students
Frances Arnold

Ignacio "Nacho" Tinoco Jr. (November 22, 1930 – November 15, 2016) was a Professor of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley from 1956 to 2016.123

Ignacio Tinoco received a bachelor's degree from the University of New Mexico in 1951, and a Ph.D. in physical chemistry at the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1954.4 He was a postdoctoral fellow with John G. Kirkwood at Yale University from 1954 to 1956.4 He joined the University of California, Berkeley as a faculty member in 1956, where he was professor in the graduate school and a faculty senior scientist, physical biosciences division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He was chairman of the chemistry department (1979–82).5

He is known for his pioneering work on RNA folding and the secondary structures of ribonucleic acid.678 His graduate and postdoctoral students include Carlos Bustamante and Frances Arnold.6

His honors and awards include: Guggenheim Fellow, Medical Research Council Laboratory, Cambridge (1964); California Section Award, American Chemical Society (1965); D.Sc. University of New Mexico (1972); Member, National Academy of Sciences (1985); Elisabeth R. Cole Award (Founders Award), Biophysical Society (1996);9 Berkeley Citation, University of California (1996); Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2001); Emily M. Gray Award, Biophysical Society (2006); Fellow: American Physical Society, Biophysical Society.

He died on November 15, 2016, at the age of 85.2

The Biophysical Society gives the Ignacio Tinoco Award in his honor.10

References

References

  1. "Ignacio Tinoco Jr". John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  2. Wang, Linda (2016). "Ignacio Tinoco dies at age 85". Chemical & Engineering News. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  3. "Emeriti Faculty". University of California, Berkeley. Archived from the original on June 20, 2012. Retrieved February 20, 2013.
  4. Tinoco, I. (2002). "Physical Chemistry of Nucleic Acids". Annual Review of Physical Chemistry. 53: 1–15. Bibcode:2002ARPC...53....1T. doi:10.1146/annurev.physchem.53.082001.144341. PMID 11972000.
  5. "Ignacio Tinoco | College of Chemistry". chemistry.berkeley.edu. Archived from the original on March 14, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  6. Grens, Kerry (December 20, 2016). "Ignacio Tinoco, Luminary of RNA Folding, Dies". The Scientist. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  7. TINOCO, IGNACIO; UHLENBECK, OLKE C.; LEVINE, MARK D. (April 9, 1971). "Estimation of Secondary Structure in Ribonucleic Acids". Nature. 230 (5293): 362–367. Bibcode:1971Natur.230..362T. doi:10.1038/230362a0. PMID 4927725. S2CID 4283534.
  8. TINOCO, IGNACIO; BORER, PHILIP N.; DENGLER, BARBARA; LEVINE, MARK D.; UHLENBECK, OLKE C.; CROTHERS, DONALD M.; GRALLA, JAY (November 1973). "Improved Estimation of Secondary Structure in Ribonucleic Acids". Nature New Biology. 246 (150): 40–41. doi:10.1038/newbio246040a0. PMID 4519026. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  9. Founders Award page
  10. "Harry Noller to Receive 2019 BPS Ignacio Tinoco Award". BPS Newsroom. Biophysical Society. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
Further reading

Further reading