Thorburn Brailsford Robertson and his wife in a laboratory

Photograph of Assistant Professor Thorburn Brailsford Robertson and his wife Jane Winifred (Jeannie) Robertson (nee Stirling) in the laboratory of the Physiology Department at the University of California, Berkeley, 1912.

On the back of the photograph is written The day 'Die physikalischechemie der proteine' was accepted. Author TBR and typist JWR. Die physikalische was Robertson's first book, published in German in 1912 and later, in 1918, as The physical chemistry of the proteins by Longmans of New York.

Thorburn Robertson had an outstanding academic and research career at the University of Adelaide and the University of California, Berkeley. His Adelaide professors included Edward Stirling and William Bragg, and he was a colleague of John Cleland. His pioneering research included work on proteins and an improved method for preparing insulin in the laboratory, as well as improvements in animal nutrition.

The Australian Dictionary of Biography describes him as 'an inspired and inspiring investigator who greatly influenced the development of a research outlook' in the medical school at the University of Adelaide, where he established the modern discipline of biochemistry. It notes that 'idealism permeated all his thinking' and describes him as a popular, gentle and tolerant man with great drive and leadership.

Thorburn Robertson's book The spirit of research provided the name for an exhibition on the theme of South Australian science in the Treasures Wall from 29 April to the end of August 2013.

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