For a complete biography of Dr. Porter see the Journal of Cell Biology
July 28, 1997, 138(2):223-224 (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2138189/)
Also January 3, 2005, 3:168(1):15 (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2171669/)
- Born June 1912 in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada.
- 1934 B.S., Acadia University in Nova Scotia.
- 1938 Ph.D., Harvard University.
- 1938-39 National Research Fellow, Princeton University.
- 1939-61 The Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research. 1939-1945 Research Assistant; 1945-50 Associate; 1950-56 Associate Member; 1956-61 Member &
- Professor, and 1953-61 Head of the Cytology Laboratory.
- Late 1930’s Joined the laboratory of James B. Murphy.
- 1938 married Elizabeth Lingley.
- 1947 became an American citizen.
- 1954 Committee that founded the American Society for Cell Biology.
- January 25, 1955 First issue of The Journal of Biophysical and Biochemical Cytology (The Journal of Cell Biology); Dr. Porter was First Managing Editor.
- 1961-67 Harvard University. 1961-70 Professor of Biology; 1965-67 Chairman of the Department of Biology.
- 1968-74 Chairman and Professor, Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Established a High Voltage Electron Microscope Facility.
- 1974-78 Professor of Cell Biology, Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder.
- Wilson Elkins Distinguished Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at UMBC (University of Maryland, Baltimore County). Established an Electron Microscope facility.
- 1977 National Medal of Science from President Carter.
- 1987 Distinguished Research Professor of Biology at the University of Pennsylvania.
- Published over 250 papers.
- 1956 Porter stated “It must be evident by now to even the most confirmed skeptic that electron microscopy is destined to have a profound influence on the future development of biology and related sciences.”