History - People - Yeshayau Pocker

Yeshayau Pocker Tenure: Lecturer 1954 - 1962

Dr Yeshayau Pocker was a mechanistic organic chemist who obtained his PhD in organic chemistry in 1953 from UCL, working with Ingold. He spent 8 years as a lecturer here. He was awarded a DSc by the University of London. He emigrated to the Chemistry Department at the University of Washington in 1961 . Although he carried out many physical organic chemistry studies in reaction mechanisms and catalysis, he is best known for his work on carbonic anhydrase, a crucial metalloenzyme involved in interconverting CO2 and carbonic acid. In particular he reported in the early 1960's that carbonic anhydrase II is 'promiscuous', as it also has weak esterase activity. This work was done in the early 60's and he remained interested in this for the rest of his career. He retired in 1999.

He was, for several years, a reviewing editor of Science magazine. A Symposium in his honour was held at the ACS Regional Meeting in Seattle WA in November 2001.

This page last modified 20 September, 2010