DeLuca Biochemistry Building

420 Henry Mall

Built in 1912

The DeLuca Biochemistry Building has been the home of the Department of Biochemistry since it was built. Today, it is one of three biochemistry buildings named after Professor H. F. DeLuca, whose laboratory has studied vitamins A and D. Scientists working in the department have made many important discoveries including:

1. Vitamin A in butterfat and cod liver oil, and vitamin B complex in milk whey by Elmer V. McCollum.
2. The process of creating vitamin D by irradiation by Harry Steenbock. This discovery ended rickets, a debilitating disease in children and lead to the establishment of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF).
3. Iodized salt to prevent goiters by E. B. Hart and Harry Steenbock.
4. The B vitamin niacin, which eliminated pellagra, by Conrad Elvehjem and Frank Strong.
5. Coumadin (Warfarin), a blood thinner for heart patients and a rat poison, by Carl P. Link and others.