At about 10 years old,[12] Cornforth had noted signs of deafness, which led to a diagnosis of otosclerosis, a disease of the middle ear which causes progressive hearing loss.

This left him completely deaf by the age of 20 but also fatefully influenced his career direction away from law, his original intended field of study, and towards chemistry.

[13][14] In an interview with Sir Harry Kroto for the Vega Science Trust, Cornforth explained:I had to find something in which the loss of hearing would not be too severe a handicap...I chose chemistry...The most liberating thing was the realization that the literature wasn't entirely correct.

[citation needed] While studying at the University of Sydney, Cornforth met his future wife, fellow chemist and scientific collaborator, Rita Harradence.

[24][25] Harradence was a graduate of St George Girls High School[24][25] and a distinguished academic achiever[10][26][27] who had topped the state in Chemistry in the New South Wales Leaving Certificate Examination.

[28] Harradence graduated with a Bachelor of Science with First-Class Honours and the University Medal in Organic Chemistry in 1936, a year ahead of Cornforth.

[29] Harradence also graduated with a MSc in 1937,[30] writing a master's thesis titled "Attempts to synthesise the pyridine analogue of vitamin B1".

[10] During his time at Oxford, Cornforth found working for and with Robinson stimulating, and the two often deliberated to no end until one had a cogent case against the other's counterargument.

At the NIMR, Cornforth collaborated with numerous biological scientists, including George Popják,[39] with whom he shared an interest in cholesterol.

Her experimental skill made major contributions to the work; she has eased for me beyond measure the difficulties of communication that accompany deafness; her encouragement and fortitude have been my strongest support.

[50] On an important author or paper that was integral to his success, Cornforth stated that he was particularly impressed by the works of German chemist Hermann Emil Fischer.

Cornforth's certificate of election for the Royal Society reads: Distinguished as an Organic Chemist of outstanding originality and exceptional experimental skill, particularly in microchemical manipulation.

Miscellaneous work on natural products and chemotherapy equally displays individual thought, invention, and superlative technical accomplishment.