Elizabeth Helen Blackburn,
FRSThe Royal Society of London for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, or even the Royal, is a learned society for science that was founded in 1660 and is considered by most to be the oldest such society still in existence...
(born November 26, 1948) is an Australian born biological researcher at the
University of California, San FranciscoThe University of California, San Francisco is one of the world's leading centers of health sciences research, patient care, and education. UCSF's medical, pharmacy, dental, nursing, and graduate schools are among the top health science professional schools in the world. The UCSF Medical Center is...
, who studies the
telomereA telomere is a region of repetitive DNA at the end of a chromosome, which protects the end of the chromosome from destruction. Its name is derived from the Greek nouns telos "end" and merοs "part"....
, a structure at the end of chromosomes that protects the
chromosomeA chromosome is an organized structure of DNA and protein that is found in cells. It is a single piece of coiled DNA containing many genes, regulatory elements and other nucleotide sequences. Chromosomes also contain DNA-bound proteins, which serve to package the DNA and control its functions...
. Blackburn co-discovered
telomeraseTelomerase is an enzyme that adds specific DNA sequence repeats to the 3' end of DNA strands in the telomere regions, which are found at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes. The telomeres contain condensed DNA material, giving stability to the chromosomes...
, the
enzymeEnzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process are called substrates, and the enzyme converts them into different molecules, called the products. Almost all processes in a biological cell need enzymes to occur at...
that replenishes the telomere. For this work, she was awarded the 2009
Nobel Prize in Physiology or MedicineThe Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is awarded once a year by the Swedish Karolinska Institute. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895, awarded for outstanding contributions in Physics, Chemistry, Literature, Peace, and Physiology or Medicine...
, sharing it with
Carol W. GreiderCarolyn Widney "Carol" Greider is a molecular biologist at the Johns Hopkins University. She was a co-discoverer of the enzyme telomerase in 1984 while working under Elizabeth Blackburn at the University of California, Berkeley. Greider pioneered research on the structure of telomeres, the ends of...
and
Jack W. SzostakJack William Szostak is a biologist and Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and Alexander Rich Distinguished Investigator at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston. He was awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, along with Elizabeth Blackburn and Carol W...
. She also worked in medical ethics, and was controversially fired from the President's Council on Bioethics.
Blackburn was born in
HobartHobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1803 as a penal colony, Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2008, the city had a greater area population of approximately 209,287...
,
TasmaniaTasmania is an Australian island and state. It is located south of the eastern side of the continent, from which it is separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania – the 26th largest island in the world – and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 500,000 ,...
, Australia.
Elizabeth Helen Blackburn,
FRSThe Royal Society of London for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, or even the Royal, is a learned society for science that was founded in 1660 and is considered by most to be the oldest such society still in existence...
(born November 26, 1948) is an Australian born biological researcher at the
University of California, San FranciscoThe University of California, San Francisco is one of the world's leading centers of health sciences research, patient care, and education. UCSF's medical, pharmacy, dental, nursing, and graduate schools are among the top health science professional schools in the world. The UCSF Medical Center is...
, who studies the
telomereA telomere is a region of repetitive DNA at the end of a chromosome, which protects the end of the chromosome from destruction. Its name is derived from the Greek nouns telos "end" and merοs "part"....
, a structure at the end of chromosomes that protects the
chromosomeA chromosome is an organized structure of DNA and protein that is found in cells. It is a single piece of coiled DNA containing many genes, regulatory elements and other nucleotide sequences. Chromosomes also contain DNA-bound proteins, which serve to package the DNA and control its functions...
. Blackburn co-discovered
telomeraseTelomerase is an enzyme that adds specific DNA sequence repeats to the 3' end of DNA strands in the telomere regions, which are found at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes. The telomeres contain condensed DNA material, giving stability to the chromosomes...
, the
enzymeEnzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process are called substrates, and the enzyme converts them into different molecules, called the products. Almost all processes in a biological cell need enzymes to occur at...
that replenishes the telomere. For this work, she was awarded the 2009
Nobel Prize in Physiology or MedicineThe Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is awarded once a year by the Swedish Karolinska Institute. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895, awarded for outstanding contributions in Physics, Chemistry, Literature, Peace, and Physiology or Medicine...
, sharing it with
Carol W. GreiderCarolyn Widney "Carol" Greider is a molecular biologist at the Johns Hopkins University. She was a co-discoverer of the enzyme telomerase in 1984 while working under Elizabeth Blackburn at the University of California, Berkeley. Greider pioneered research on the structure of telomeres, the ends of...
and
Jack W. SzostakJack William Szostak is a biologist and Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and Alexander Rich Distinguished Investigator at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston. He was awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, along with Elizabeth Blackburn and Carol W...
. She also worked in medical ethics, and was controversially fired from the President's Council on Bioethics.
Early life and education
Blackburn was born in
HobartHobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1803 as a penal colony, Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2008, the city had a greater area population of approximately 209,287...
,
TasmaniaTasmania is an Australian island and state. It is located south of the eastern side of the continent, from which it is separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania – the 26th largest island in the world – and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 500,000 ,...
, Australia. Her parents, Harold and Marcia Blackburn, were both medical practitioners (physicians). Blackburn attended
Broadland House SchoolLaunceston Church Grammar School is a co-educational private school in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia for years kindergarten through to Year 12....
in
Launceston, TasmaniaLaunceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia, with a population of 103,325 located at the juncture of the North Esk, South Esk, and Tamar rivers...
. Her family then moved to
MelbourneMelbourne is the capital city and most populous city of the State of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne city centre is the anchor of the larger geographical area and statistical division known as the Greater Melbourne metropolitan area – of which Melbourne is...
,
VictoriaVictoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales to the north, South Australia to the west, and Tasmania to the south, across the Bass Strait. Victoria is the most densely populated state, with over 70% of...
, where she attended the
University High School, MelbourneThe University High School, is a public, co-educational high school, located in Parkville, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
. After graduation from high school, Blackburn attended the
University of MelbourneThe University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia, and the oldest in Victoria...
, residing in
Janet Clarke Hall (University of Melbourne)Janet Clarke Hall is an Anglican residential college of the University of Melbourne.- History :Established in 1886 as a residential hostel for women students of Trinity College, the College was named after a significant benefactor...
, where she earned her
B.Sc.A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years ....
degree in 1970, and her
M.Sc.A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in a large number of countries...
degree in 1972, and
Darwin College, CambridgeDarwin College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It is a college for advanced study, admitting only postgraduate students....
, where she earned her
Ph.D.Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated PhD , for the Latin , meaning "teacher of philosophy", or alternatively, DPhil, for the equivalent , is an advanced academic degree awarded by universities...
(1975) from the
University of CambridgeThe University of Cambridge , located in the City of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, is the second oldest university in the English-speaking world and the fourth oldest in Europe...
. Her postdoctoral study in molecular and cellular biology was at
Yale UniversityYale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut, and a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States. Yale has produced many notable alumni, including five...
,
ConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and New York to the west and south ....
in 1975–77.
Work in molecular biology
In 1978, Blackburn joined the faculty of the
University of California, BerkeleyThe University of California, Berkeley is a public research university located in Berkeley, California, United States. The oldest of the ten major campuses affiliated with the University of California, Berkeley offers some 300 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in a wide range of disciplines...
in the Department of Molecular Biology. In 1990, she moved across the San Francisco Bay to the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the
University of California, San FranciscoThe University of California, San Francisco is one of the world's leading centers of health sciences research, patient care, and education. UCSF's medical, pharmacy, dental, nursing, and graduate schools are among the top health science professional schools in the world. The UCSF Medical Center is...
(UCSF), where she served as the Department Chairwoman from 1993 to 1999. Blackburn is currently the Morris Herzstein Professor of Biology and Physiology at UCSF, and a non-resident fellow of the Salk Institute. She is the president-elect of the
American Association for Cancer ResearchThe American Association for Cancer Research is the world's oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The AACR is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and focuses on all aspects of cancer research including basic, clinical and translational research into...
. In recent years Blackburn and her colleagues have been investigating the effect of stress on telomerase and telomeres.
Bioethics
Blackburn was appointed a member of the President's Council on Bioethics in 2001. She supported human embryonic cell research, in opposition to the Bush Administration. Her Council terms were terminated by White House directive on February 27, 2004. This was followed by expressions of outrage over her removal by many scientists, who maintained that she was fired because of political opposition to her advice.
"There is a growing sense that scientific research — which, after all, is defined by the quest for truth — is being manipulated for political ends," wrote Blackburn. "There is evidence that such manipulation is being achieved through the stacking of the membership of advisory bodies and through the delay and misrepresentation of their reports."
Blackburn serves on the Science Advisory Board of the
Genetics Policy InstituteThe Genetics Policy Institute is a 501 nonprofit organization that educates the public and promotes supportive public policy for stem cell research and other forms of cutting-edge medicine....
.
Personal
Blackburn is married to John W. Sedat, and has one child.
She was cited in the Wall Street Journal on October 6, 2009 as an example of why politicians should not try to block immigration to the U.S. because she is "a foreigner".
Awards and honors
- Honorary Doctorate of Science from Harvard University
- Eli Lilly
Eli Lilly was an American soldier, pharmaceutical chemist, industrialist, entrepreneur, and founder of the Eli Lilly and Company pharmaceutical corporation...
Research Award for Microbiology and Immunology (1988)
- National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine."The group holds a congressional charter under Title 36 of the United States Code....
Award in Molecular Biology (1990)
- Honorary Doctorate of Science from Yale University (1991)
- Harvey Society Lecturer at the Harvey Society in New York (1990)
- Recipient of the UCSF Women's Faculty Association Award
- Australia Prize
The Australia Prize was Australia's pre-eminent prize for scientific research from 1990 until 2000, when it was replaced by the Prime Minister's Prizes for Science. The award was international, 10 of the 28 recipients were not Australians.-Recipients:...
(1998)
- Gairdner Foundation International Award
The Gairdner Foundation International Award is given annually at a special dinner to three to six people for outstanding discoveries or contributions to medical science...
(1998)
- Harvey Prize
The Harvey Prize is awarded annually by the Technion in Haifa, Israel. It is awarded in different disciplines of Science, Technology, Human Health, and Contributions to Peace in the Middle East. Two awards - each of $75,000 - are given away annually...
(1999)
- Keio Prize (1999)
- California Scientist of the Year in 1999
- American Association for Cancer Research
The American Association for Cancer Research is the world's oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The AACR is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and focuses on all aspects of cancer research including basic, clinical and translational research into...
- G.H.A. Clowes Memorial Award (2000)
- American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy and service."The society is...
Medal of Honor (2000)
- AACR-Pezcoller Foundation International Award for Cancer Research (2001)
- General Motors Cancer Research Foundation Alfred P. Sloan Award (2001)
- E.B.Wilson Award of the American Society for Cell Biology (2001)
- Robert J. and Claire Pasarow Foundation Medical Research Award (2003)
- Dr A.H. Heineken Prize for Medicine
The Dr. A.H. Heineken and Dr. H.P. Heineken Prizes, named in honor of Alfred Heineken, former Chairman of Heineken Holdings, and Henry Pierre Heineken, son of founder Gerard Adriaan Heineken, are a series of awards bestowed by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences .-History:Alfred...
(2004)
- Benjamin Franklin Medal in Life Science of The Franklin Institute (2005)
- Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research
The Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research is one of the prizes awarded by the Lasker Foundation for the understanding, diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and cure of disease...
(2006) (shared with Carol W. GreiderCarolyn Widney "Carol" Greider is a molecular biologist at the Johns Hopkins University. She was a co-discoverer of the enzyme telomerase in 1984 while working under Elizabeth Blackburn at the University of California, Berkeley. Greider pioneered research on the structure of telomeres, the ends of...
and Jack Szostak)
- Genetics Prize from the Peter Gruber Foundation (2006)
- Wiley Prize
The Wiley Prize in Biomedical Sciences is intended to recognize breakthrough research in pure or applied life science research that is distinguished by its excellence, originality and impact on our understanding of biological systems and processes...
in Biomedical Sciences from the Wiley Foundation (shared with Carol W. GreiderCarolyn Widney "Carol" Greider is a molecular biologist at the Johns Hopkins University. She was a co-discoverer of the enzyme telomerase in 1984 while working under Elizabeth Blackburn at the University of California, Berkeley. Greider pioneered research on the structure of telomeres, the ends of...
)(2006)
- Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize
Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize for Biology or Biochemistry is an annual prize awarded by Columbia University to a researcher or group of researchers that have made an outstanding contribution in basic research in the fields of biology or biochemistry....
(2007) (shared with Carol W. GreiderCarolyn Widney "Carol" Greider is a molecular biologist at the Johns Hopkins University. She was a co-discoverer of the enzyme telomerase in 1984 while working under Elizabeth Blackburn at the University of California, Berkeley. Greider pioneered research on the structure of telomeres, the ends of...
and Joseph G. GallJoseph Grafton Gall is an American cell biologist and winner of the 2006 Albert Lasker Special Achievement Award.He also won the 2007 Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize -References:...
)
- L'Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science
The L'Oréal-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science aims to improve the position of women in science by recognizing outstanding women researchers who have contributed to scientific progress...
(2008)
- Mike Hogg Award (2009)
- Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize
The Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize is given every year since 1952 for investigations in medicine. The prize carries a prize money of 100.000 Euro. The prize awarding ceremony is traditionally on March 14, the birthday of Paul Ehrlich, in the St. Pauls-Church, Frankfurt.Awarded are...
(2009) (shared with Carol W. GreiderCarolyn Widney "Carol" Greider is a molecular biologist at the Johns Hopkins University. She was a co-discoverer of the enzyme telomerase in 1984 while working under Elizabeth Blackburn at the University of California, Berkeley. Greider pioneered research on the structure of telomeres, the ends of...
)
- Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine (2009) (shared with Carol W. Greider
Carolyn Widney "Carol" Greider is a molecular biologist at the Johns Hopkins University. She was a co-discoverer of the enzyme telomerase in 1984 while working under Elizabeth Blackburn at the University of California, Berkeley. Greider pioneered research on the structure of telomeres, the ends of...
and Jack Szostak)
- Elected:
- President of the American Society for Cell Biology for the year 1998
- Fellow of:
- American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
(1991)
- Royal Society of London (1992)
- American Academy of Microbiology (1993)
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation between scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for...
(2000)
- Foreign Associate of the National Academy of Sciences (1993)
- Member of the Institute of Medicine
The Institute of Medicine , one of the United States National Academies, is a not-for-profit, non-governmental American organization chartered in 1970 as a part of the United States National Academy of Sciences. Its purpose is to provide national advice on issues relating to biomedical science,...
(2000)
- Board member of the Genetics Society of America
The Genetics Society of America is a scholarly membership society of more than 4000 genetics researchers and educators, established in 1931...
(2000-2002)
In 2007, Blackburn was listed among Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in The World.
External links