Folke Skoog’s career in phytohormone research started in 1930 as undergrad at @[email protected], when he expressed his interest in #PlantBiochemistry to his mentor Carl Lindegren. Lindegren suggested Herman Dolk as supervisor for Skoog in what can best be described as a half-hearted endorsement (image).

Dolk studied with auxin pioneer Friedrich Went @[email protected], but Skoog's time with him was cut short when Dolk passed away. His place was taken by another student of Went, his son Frits-the discoverer of #auxin. It was Went who speculated that there must be a second growth factor.

While this started Skoog's mission to identify this 2nd factor, he interrupted his search for a postdoc with Dennis Hoagland, a pioneer in #PlantNutrition who was first to formulate a growth solution with exact nutrients: the now famous Hoagland solution. The second important mentor for Skoog.

His time with Went & Hoagland imprinted in Skoog an interest in hormonal growth regulation, and a sense for the importance of plant nutrition and exactly controlled growth conditions. Another scientist, Philip White, delivered the 'tool' he needed for his research: A Nicotiana callus cell culture.