Dr. Dean Turner Burk (1904–1988): Prominent Biochemist and Cancer Researcher

Dr. Dean Burk and Burial Niche

 

Main Mausoleum, Section 12, Crypt Niche 2, Tier 1

Dr. Dean Turner Burk (1904–1988) was a prominent American biochemist and medical researcher, born in Oakland, California. He is best known for co-developing the Lineweaver–Burk plot, a foundational tool in enzyme kinetics, and for his extensive work in cancer research at the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

Burk was the second of four sons of Frederic Lister Burk, the founding president of what is now San Francisco State University. He entered the University of California, Davis at age 15 and transferred a year later to UC Berkeley, where he earned a B.S. in Entomology in 1923. He completed his Ph.D. in biochemistry in 1927. Burk then pursued postdoctoral research at University College London, the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin, and Harvard University, working with Nobel laureates such as A.V. Hill and Otto Warburg.

In 1929, Burk joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Fixed Nitrogen Research Laboratory. By 1939, he became a senior chemist at the newly established National Cancer Institute, where he led the cytochemistry laboratory until his retirement in 1974. He co-authored over 250 scientific papers and collaborated closely with Otto Warburg, translating many of Warburg’s works into English

Burk’s notable scientific contributions include:​

• Lineweaver–Burk Plot: Developed in 1934 with Hans Lineweaver, this double-reciprocal plot became a standard method for analyzing enzyme kinetics .​

• Photosynthesis Research: He received the Hillebrand Prize in 1952 for his work on photosynthesis, demonstrating high quantum efficiency in the process.

• Cancer Cell Differentiation: Awarded the Gerhard Domagk Prize in 1965 for developing techniques to distinguish between normal and cancerous cells.

• Medical Imaging: Co-developed a prototype of the Magnetic Resonance Scanner, a precursor to modern MRI technology.

 

After retiring from the NCI, Burk became an outspoken critic of water fluoridation, claiming it was linked to increased cancer mortality. His studies, co-authored with John Yiamouyiannis, were widely criticized for methodological flaws and lack of scientific rigor.

Burk also advocated for the use of Laetrile (amygdalin or "vitamin B17") as a cancer treatment, despite its classification as ineffective and potentially dangerous by the FDA and mainstream medical community. His public support led to reprimands from the NCI, which emphasized that his views did not represent the agency.​

Dean Burk passed away from cancer on October 6, 1988, in Washington, D.C., at the home of his daughter.

Sources: Wikipedia, Find a Grave, Univ of CA Berkeley