# Daniel Nathans

_American microbiologist_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/daniel-nathans
Last updated: 2026-10-31

> Daniel Nathans was an American microbiologist. Along with American researcher Hamilton Smith and Swiss researcher Werner Arber, he shared the 1978 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of restriction enzymes and their application in restriction mapping.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 30 October 1928 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q295706#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Wilmington ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q295706#P19))
- **Died:** 16 November 1999 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q295706#P570))
- **Place of death:** Baltimore ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q295706#P20))
- **Citizenship:** United States ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q295706#P27))
- **Occupation:** biochemist; microbiologist; molecular biologist; physiologist ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q295706#P106))
- **Education:** University of Delaware; Washington University in St. Louis; Washington University School of Medicine ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q295706#P69))
- **Awards:** Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine; National Medal of Science; NAS Award in Molecular Biology ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q295706#P166))

## Questions

**When was Daniel Nathans born?**  
Daniel Nathans was born on 30 October 1928 in Wilmington.

**Where did Daniel Nathans study?**  
Daniel Nathans was educated at University of Delaware, Washington University in St. Louis, Washington University School of Medicine.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Daniel Nathans](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Nathans) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q295706](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q295706) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: 37. Tagung 1987 Mediziner Daniel Nathans lächelnd - W134Nr.125411c - Willy Pragher (cropped).jpg by Willy Pragher (CC BY 3.0 de)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:37._Tagung_1987_Mediziner_Daniel_Nathans_l%C3%A4chelnd_-_W134Nr.125411c_-_Willy_Pragher_(cropped).jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Daniel Nathans, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: 37. Tagung 1987 Mediziner Daniel Nathans lächelnd - W134Nr.125411c - Willy Pragher (cropped).jpg — Willy Pragher, CC BY 3.0 de.

## Cite this page

"Daniel Nathans". DigiNepal. Last updated 31 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/daniel-nathans. Retrieved 4 November 2026.