John Kendrew was a British biochemist known for his pioneering work in the field of molecular biology. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1962 for his contributions to the understanding of the structure of proteins, particularly myoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen in muscle cells. His research helped lay the groundwork for future studies in protein structure and function. Kendrew was born on March 24, 1917, in Oxford, England. He studied at Cambridge University, where he later became a professor. Throughout his career, he contributed significantly to the development of techniques in X-ray crystallography, which allowed scientists to visualize the structures of complex biological molecules.