Frank W. Putnam (born August 3, 1917 – November 29, 2006) was an American biochemist and university professor.
[1] Putnam began his career in biochemistry as an instructor at Duke University's School of Medicine from 1942-1946.
Putnam held the director position until 1969 when he resigned to devote his time to teaching and research.
In 1967, Putnam was elected chairman of the Division of Biological Chemistry of the American Chemical Society.
[2] Putnam's research focused on the structure and function of blood proteins associated with the development of immunity to disease in animals.
The majority of his career dealt with the study of the Bence-Jones proteins and their relation to the molecular structure of antibodies.