Kary Mullis biography, married, wife, nancy cosgrove mullis, awards, education, nobel prize, net worth

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<h2>Early Life and Education</h2>
<p>Kary Mullis was born on December 28, 1944, in Lenoir, North Carolina, United States. His zodiac sign was Capricorn. He was the <a href="/biography/kary-mullis">son</a> of Cecil Banks Mullis and Bernice Barker Mullis. Raised primarily in South Carolina, Mullis spent much of his childhood observing animals and insects on his grandparents' farm, cultivating a lifelong interest in the natural sciences.</p>

<p>He completed his schooling at Dreher High School in Columbia, South Carolina. Early on, Mullis demonstrated a passion for chemistry, particularly fascinated with solid-state rocket engines, a curiosity that propelled his future academic work. He later attended the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry in 1966.</p>

<h2>Advanced Studies and Academic Pursuits</h2>
<p>Mullis pursued his doctoral studies at the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_of_Philosophy">Ph.D.</a> in biochemistry in 1973. His doctoral research focused on bacterial iron transport proteins. He also completed postdoctoral work in cell biology at the University of Kansas Medical School and later studied pharmaceutical chemistry at the University of California, San Francisco.</p>

<h2>Professional Career and the Invention of PCR</h2>
<p>Before fully immersing himself in science, Mullis briefly worked as a fiction writer and at a bakery. His significant scientific contributions began during his tenure at Cetus Corporation, where he worked as a DNA chemist for seven years. In 1983, while at Cetus, he invented the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a revolutionary technique that allows scientists to amplify tiny segments of DNA rapidly and precisely.</p>

<p>He left Cetus in 1986 to join Xytronyx as Director of Molecular Biology. Later, he worked at various research institutes, contributing extensively to the fields of molecular biology, genetics, forensic science, and biochemistry. Mullis also created a UV-sensitive plastic capable of changing color when exposed to ultraviolet light.</p>

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<h2>Nobel Prize and Recognition</h2>
<p>Kary Mullis received numerous accolades for his groundbreaking work, most notably the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1993, which he shared with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Smith_(chemist)">Michael Smith</a>. He was also awarded the Japan Prize and substantial monetary rewards for his contributions to science. PCR became a critical tool for DNA analysis, profoundly impacting diagnostics, evolutionary biology, and criminal forensics.</p>

<h2>Personal Life</h2>
<p>Mullis was married four times and had three children. His last wife, Nancy Cosgrove Mullis, was known to be the love of his life. Despite his contributions to science, Mullis was also known for his unconventional beliefs. He publicly expressed skepticism about widely accepted scientific conclusions, including climate change, the role of HIV in AIDS, and ozone layer depletion, considering them government-led conspiracies. These views drew controversy, particularly coming from a Nobel laureate.</p>

<p>Mullis admitted to using LSD earlier in his life and claimed it influenced his scientific thinking, particularly during his work on PCR. In a 1985 account, he reported seeing a glowing raccoon in the forest, which he believed could have been an alien encounter. Most observers dismissed this report, attributing it to hallucinations from his past drug use.</p>

<h2>Publications and Legacy</h2>
<p>He authored an autobiography titled <em>Dancing Naked in the Mind Field</em>, in which he detailed his scientific journey and nonconformist worldview. While his personal views sparked debate, Mullis’s legacy remains centered around his invention of PCR, a technique that continues to shape modern biology and medicine.</p>

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