Lafayette Benedict Mendel was a chemist known for his contributions to the field of nutrition. He was born in New Delhi, New York on February 5, 1872 to Benedict Mendel, a local merchant, and Pauline Ullman, both of whom had both come to the United States from Germany. Mendel attended local schools until age 15 when he won a New York State scholarship. He attended Yale University as an undergraduate where he studied classics, economics, and the humanities. He graduated in 1891 and was awarded a fellowship that enabled him to take graduate studies at the Sheffield Scientific School. There he began the study of physiological chemistry under Russell H. Chittenden.

Although Mendel's interest in science came relatively late in his academic career, he still completed the requirements for his PhD in two years. His thesis was on the synthesis of a protein derived from hemp seed, a topic which he would...