Education
- PhD, 1976, Cornell University
Research Summary
The Constantine-Paton lab focused on the Flailer mutant mouse, which carries a brain region-specific dominant negative gene for the actin motor protein MyosinVa and shows a series of abnormal behaviors. They designed a CRISPR-Cas9 that removes this dominant negative mutation from certain brain regions to dissect the contribution of each region to normal behavior. Martha Constantine-Paton is no longer accepting students.
Awards
- American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Fellow, 2015
Education
- MD, 1965, Harvard Medical School
Research Summary
After retiring as President at Merck Research Laboratories, Edward Scolnick founded the Stanley Center in 2007, two-and-a-half years after moving to the Broad Institute. His goal is to enhance our understanding of serious mental illnesses like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Given that our genetic code greatly influences our risk for developing such diseases, he works to unravel the genome and provide insight into underlying biochemical abnormalities.
Education
- PhD, 1968, California Institute of Technology
- SB, 1962, Zoology, Yale University
Research Summary
After decades of investigating protein folding, misfolding and aggregation, and bacteriophage structure and assembly, I am now concentrating on protecting the conditions needed to support biomedical research, in particular federal investment in biomedical research through the NIH and NSF budgets. This involves not only advocating for these investments, but critiquing the enormous drain on productive investment of our tax dollars through excessive military spending, particularly on nuclear weapons. To this end I chair the Reducing the Threat of Nuclear War Conference held annually in the Spring at MIT, and chair the Nuclear Disarmament Working Group of Mass Peace Action which provides national leadership on nuclear disarmament. Professor King is no longer accepting students.
Awards
- NIH MERIT Award
- Guggenheim Fellow
- Jane Coffin Childs Fellow
- MIT MLK Jr Faculty Leadership
Education
- PhD, 1986, The Rockefeller University
- BS, 1976, Chemistry and Zoology, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, S.A.
Research Summary
The Sive lab probes molecular mechanisms underlying vertebrate development. They focus on the Extreme Anterior Domain, a facial signaling center that also forms the mouth. They examine the brain ventricular system and ‘basal constriction’, a novel cell shape change in the brain. They also focus on neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disability, and epilepsy, in order to define novel therapeutics. In June 2020, Professor Sive moved to become Dean of Science and Professor of Biology at Northeastern University. She is actively accepting postdoctoral fellows into her lab.
Awards
- School of Science Teaching Prize, 2020
- Margaret MacVicar Faculty Fellow, 2015 – 2025
Education
- PhD, 1979, Harvard University
- BA, 1972, Biophysics, Amherst College
Research Summary
Before closing his lab, Bob Sauer studied the relationship between protein structure, function, sequence and folding. He focused on the molecular machines that degrade or remodel proteins, targeting proteins for these ATP-dependent reactions. His experimental tools included biochemistry and single-molecule biophysics, structural biology, protein design and engineering, and molecular genetics.
Awards
- Protein Society, Stein and Moore Award, 2013
- Protein Society, Hans Neurath Award, 2007
- Protein Society, Amgen Award, 2001
- National Academy of Sciences, Member, 1996
- American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Fellow, 1993
Education
- PhD, 1984, Harvard University
- BA, 1977, Chemistry, University of California – San Diego
Research Summary
Before retiring from MIT, Terry Orr-Weaver investigated the processes controlling cell division and cell size during development. She studied the transition from oocyte to embryo, the regulators involved, and how this leads to cell cycle changes from meiosis to embryonic mitosis. She also aimed to delineate the coordination of cell size between tissue layers and the regulation of replication origin activation and replication fork progression.
Awards
- Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, Excellence in Science Award, 2013
- American Association for the Advancement of Science, Fellow, 2010
- National Academy of Sciences, Member, 2006
- American Academy of Microbiology, Fellow, 2006
Education
- PhD, 1971, Harvard University
- BA, 1964, Biology, Harvard University
Research Summary
Nancy Hopkins became an assistant professor at MIT’s Center for Cancer Research in 1973. She used genetics to map RNA tumor virus genes, identifying genes that determine host range and the type and severity of cancers mouse retroviruses cause. These genes included capsid protein p30 and transcriptional elements now known as enhancers. Hopkins switched research areas more than a decade later, developing tools for zebrafish research and devising an efficient method for large-scale insertional mutagenesis. Using this technique, her lab identified and cloned 25% of the genes essential for a fertilized zebrafish egg to develop into a swimming larva. These genes included known and novel genes that predispose fish to cancer. Currently, Hopkins works on advocacy for cancer prevention and early detection research.
Awards
- Biomedical Innovation Award, STAT, 2021
- American Association for Cancer Research Academy, Fellow, 2021
- Xconomy Lifetime Achievement Award, 2018
- Harvard Centennial Medal, 2014
- Margaret L. Kripke Legend Award, MDAnderson, 2012
- AACR Women in Cancer Research Award, 2006
- National Academy of Sciences, Member, 2004
- UCSF Medal, 2003
- National Academy of Medicine, Member 1999
- American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Fellow, 1998
Education
- PhD, 1969, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
- BA, 1966, Chemistry and Math, Union College
Research Summary
We investigate small, non-coding RNAs called microRNAs (miRNAs), which regulate over half of the genes in mammalian cells at the stages of translation and mRNA stability. We are also interested in the processes underlying transcription from the anti-sense strand (so-called “divergent” transcription), as well as the relationship between elongation of transcription, RNA splicing, and chromatin modifications.
Awards
- AACR Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Research, 2020
- AACR Distinguished Award for Extraordinary Scientific Innovation and Exceptional Leadership in Cancer Research and Biomedical Science, 2018
- Royal Society of London, Foreign Fellow, 2011
- National Science Foundation, National Medal of Science, 2004
- The Nobel Foundation, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1993
- National Academy of Medicine, Member, 1991
- American Association for the Advancement of Science, Fellow, 1987
- American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Fellow, 1987
- National Academy of Sciences, Member, 1983
Education
- PhD, 1992, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- BS, 1985, Zoology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research Summary
Before closing his lab, Frank Gertler’s research combined mouse genetics, cell biological and biochemical approaches to investigate the interplay between signal transduction pathways and the actin cytoskeleton. They deduced the functional importance of these regulatory systems in organismal development and disease. Their main focus was cell motility and the control of cellular protrusions — specifically, motility during tumor cell invasion and metastasis, as well as how neurons migrate and extend their growth cones.
Awards
- Ross Scholar Award, 2006-2008
- ASCB/Promega Early Career Life Scientist Award, 2003
- Keck Distinguished Young Scholar Award, 2000-2005
- McKnight Scholar in Neurosciences Award, 2000-2003
