Ira Herskowitz

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Ira Herskowitz (born July 14, 1946 in Brooklyn , New York City, † April 28, 2003 in San Francisco ) was an American geneticist at the University of California, San Francisco .

Life

Herskowitz's father, Irwin Herskowitz , was a geneticist who studied Drosophila . Ira Herskowitz had an identical twin brother who became a neurologist and two other siblings. The family moved several times when the father was called to another university. Ira Herskowitz received a bachelor's degree from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in 1967 and a Ph.D. in 1971 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). in biochemistry . After a short time as a postdoctoral fellow there , Herskowitz received his first professorship (assistant professor) at the University of Oregon . In 1982 he moved to the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where he redesigned the genetics department. From 1990 to 1995 he headed the Department of Biochemistry and since 1997 has been co-director of the Human Genetics program . Until his death, Herskowitz was Professor of Genetics in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of California, San Francisco.

Herskowitz died of pancreatic cancer in 2003 .

Act

Herskowitz is considered a pioneer in molecular genetics . While still a student, he was able to make important contributions to the understanding of the regulatory mechanisms within the bacteriophage lambda . To Herskowitz 'most important discoveries is part of the pathway of gene conversion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker's yeast), by which is defined as the genes for the mating types (mating types) are rearranged. The discovery is considered to pave the way for an understanding of regulatory systems in eukaryotes .

Herskowitz patented a process with which yeast cells are modified so that they produce human proteins - for example human insulin . Later work looked at pharmacogenetics .

Herskowitz's achievements were also in the field of systematic reviews (scientific reviews) , in which he summarized findings on complex genetic processes on a scientific level. The widespread convention of showing inhibiting effects as ─┤ and promoting effects as → in diagrams goes back to Herskowitz's diagrams in his lectures .

Awards (selection)

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Eli Lilly and Company-Elanco Research Award Past Laureates. (No longer available online.) In: asm.org. Archived from the original on June 11, 2016 ; accessed on April 16, 2018 (English).
  2. ^ NAS Award for Scientific Reviewing at the National Academy of Sciences (nasonline.org); Retrieved April 3, 2012
  3. ↑ https://www.the-scientist.com/news-analysis/ira-herskowitz-dies-51712
  4. ↑ Ira Herskowitz at the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation (macfound.org); Retrieved April 3, 2012
  5. ↑ a b Past GSA Award Recipients at the Genetics Society of America (genetics-gsa.org); Retrieved April 3, 2012
  6. ↑ Book of Members 1780 – present, Chapter H. (PDF; 1.2 MB) In: American Academy of Arts and Sciences (amacad.org). Retrieved April 16, 2018 .
  7. ↑ https://www.the-scientist.com/news-analysis/ira-herskowitz-dies-51712
  8. ^ Past Winners - Rosenstiel Award - Rosenstiel Basic Medical Sciences Research Center - Brandeis University. In: brandeis.edu. Retrieved January 23, 2016 .
personal data
SURNAME Herskowitz, Ira
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American geneticist
DATE OF BIRTH July 14, 1946
PLACE OF BIRTH Brooklyn , New York City
DATE OF DEATH April 28, 2003
Place of death San Francisco