Trikojus, Victor Martin (1902 - 1985)

Summary

Victor Trikojus lectured in organic chemistry and medical organic chemistry at the University of Sydney from 1928-1943. He then moved to the University of Melbourne where he became Professor and Head of the School of Biochemistry 1943-1968. In his research Trikojus was noted for integrating organic chemistry and biochemistry. Much of his focus was on thyroid metabolism: with F. J. R. Hird he identified triiodothyronine. During WWII he worked on the synthesis of drugs needed for treating dysentery and wound sepsis among troops in Papua New Guinea. Trikojus was active in professional organisations, being Vice-President of the Australian Academy of Science from 1964 to 1965 and Chairman of the Australian Biochemical Society on 1956.

Details

Chronology

1924

Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Sydney

1925

Award - 1851 Exhibition Overseas Scholarship

1926

Education - Doctor of Philisophy (PhD), University of Oxford

1927 - 1928

Career position - Laboratorium des Staates, Munich, Germany

1928 - 1932

Career position - Lecturer, Department of Organic Chemistry, Laboratorium des Staates, Munich, Germany

1932 - 1943

Career position - Lecturer in medical organic chemistry, Laboratorium des Staates, Munich, Germany

1934

Education - Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil), University of Oxford

1939 - 1942

Career position - Inaugural Chairman, Drug Sub-committee, Australian Association of Scientific Workers

1939 - 1944

Career position - Director of Research, Medical Equipment Control Committee

1943 - 1968

Career position - Professor of Biochemistry, Russell Grimwade School of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne

1945

Award - H. G. Smith Memorial Medal, Australian Chemical Institute

1954 - 1985

Award - Foundation Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)

1955 - 1964

Career position - Foundation Member, Australian Biochemical Society

1956

Education - Doctor of Science (DSc), University of Sydney

1956

Career position - Chairman, Australian Biochemical Society

1963 - 1965

Career position - Dean of Graduate Studies, University of Melbourne

1964 - 1985

Award - Honorary Life Member, Australian Biochemical Society

1965 - 1966

Career position - Member, Australian Research Grants Committee

1965 - 1966

Career position - Vice-President, Australian Academy of Science

1967 -

Career position - Member of Council, International Union of Biochemistry

1968 -

Career position - Honorary Research Professor (later Honorary Professor), University of Melbourne

1969 - 1970

Career position - Senior Visiting Scientist, CSIRO, Prospect, New South Wales, and School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne

1971

Award - Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) - Science and government

1971 - 1974

Career position - Editor, Historical records of Australian science

Related entries

Archival resources

The University of Melbourne Archives

• Victor Martin Trikojus - Records, 1916 - 1985; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details

Published resources

Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Exhibitions

• Exhibition Papers, A Bright Sparcs Exhibition, Australian Science Archives Project, 1997, http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/exhib/papers/exhib_papers.htm. Details

Books

• Humphreys, L. R., Trikojus: a Scientist for Interesting Times (Melbourne: Miegunyah Press, 2004), 154 pp. Details
• McCarthy, Gavan; Sankey Howard, The Papers of Victor Martin Trikojus (1902-1985), 2 vols (Melbourne: Australian Science Archives Project, 1987). Details

Book Sections

• Humphreys, L. R., 'Trikojus, Victor Martin (1902-1985), Professor of Biochemistry' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 18: 1981 - 1990 L-Z, Melanie Nolan, ed. (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 2012), pp. 522-3. http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/trikojus-victor-martin-trik-15619. Details

Journal Articles

• Legge, J. W.; and Gibson, F., 'Victor Martin Trikojus, 1902-1985', Historical Records of Australian Science, 6 (4) (1987), 519-531. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9870640519. Details
• Trikojus, V. M., 'Robert Kerford Morton', Yearbook of the Australian Academy of Science (1964), 54-69, https://www.science.org.au/files/userfiles/fellowship/memoirs/documents/morton.pdf. Details
• Trikojus, V. M., 'Alfred Gottschalk', Records of the Australian Academy of Science, 3 (1) (1975), 52-74. Details
• Trikojus, V. M., 'Biochemistry comes to Australia', Trends in biochemical sciences, 3 (1978), 174-8. Details

Resources

• Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q28062400. Details
• McCarthy, Gavan; Sankey, Howard; Hughes, Miranda, Victor Martin Trikojus Guide to Records, Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, Melbourne, 2004, http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/guides/trik/trikojus.htm. Details
• 'Trikojus, Victor Martin (19020205-19850127)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1475628. Details

Resource Sections

• Legge, J. W.; and Gibson, F., 'Victor Martin Trikojus 1902-1985', in Australian Academy of Science Biographical Memoirs, Australian Academy of Science, 2006, https://www.science.org.au/fellowship/fellows/biographical-memoirs/victor-martin-trikojus-1902-1985. Details
• Tilley, Leann; Stone, Bruce, 'Audrey Josephine Cahn, (1905-2008)', in Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, Canberra, 2023. https://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/cahn-audrey-josephine-13608/text24357. Details

Reviews

• Humphreys, L. R., Trikojus: a Scientist for Interesting Times (2004)
  Swan, John M., Historical Records of Australian Science, 17 (2), (2006), 287-288, https://doi.org/10.1071/HR06009. Details

See also

• Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, Technology in Australia 1788-1988, Online edn, Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, Melbourne, 3 May 2000, http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/tia/index_t.html. Details
• Bolton, H. C., 'Optical Instruments in Australia in the 1939-45 War: successes and lost opportunities', Australian Physicist (1990). http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/exhib/papers/bolton2.htm. Details