Michael Smith Biography Smith, Michael (1932- ), British-born Canadian biochemist and Nobel Prize winner. Smith developed a method for altering the nucleic acid deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) structure of protein molecules. His technique enabled scientists to determine with great accuracy the function of proteins in specific organisms. This innovation also expanded the possibilities of protein engineering. For this work, Smith was awarded the 1993 Nobel Prize in chemistry. He shared the prize with American biochemist Kary B. Mullis, who was honored for developing the technique of polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Born in Blackpool, England, Smith received his Ph.D. degree from the University o