Baldomero Olivera
Encyclopedia
Baldomero Olivera is a Filipino American
chemist known for discovery of many cone snail
toxins important for neuroscience. These molecules, called conotoxin
s led to a breakthrough in the study of ion channels and neuro-muscular synapses.
He discovered and first characterized E. coli DNA ligase, a key enzyme of genetic engineering and recombinant DNA technology.
Olivera graduated from the University of the Philippines
in 1960. He got a PhD from the California Institute of Technology
(1966) in Biophysical Chemistry, followed by postdoctoral work at Stanford University
from 1966-1968. In 1970, he moved to the University of Utah, where he is now a Distinguished Professor of Biology. His laboratory's discovery was featured on the cover of the international scientific journal Science
in 1990. He was Harvard 2007 "Scientist of the Year". He is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor, has been elected into the Institute of Medicine and the American Philosophical Society, and became an Elected Member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences in 2009.
His impressive research on both DNA biophysics and conotoxins has enabled Dr. Olivera to serve as an editorial board member of various scientific publications. He served as a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Biological Chemistry from 1982 to 1987, the Journal of Toxinology – Toxin Reviews from 1990 to 1993, and Toxicon from 2000 until the present. In addition, he was a member of the review committee of the journal Cellular and Molecular Basis of Disease from 1982 to 1986. Dr Olivera has also served as a committee member of various institutions. He was a member of the Visiting Committee of the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry of Harvard University from 1988 to 1995, the Advisory Committee to the Director of the National Institutes of Health from 1996 to 1999, the Toxicology Advisory Committee of the Burroughs-Wellcome Foundation from 1999 to 2001, and has been a member of the Searle Scholars Advisory Board since 2007.
On July 9, 2007, UP honored Olivera, for his research on neuropharmacology using the venom of conesnails (carnivorous, predatory marine snails which thrive in tropical and subtropical habitats). UP President Dr. Emerlinda Roman
said Olivera’s award "brings honor" not only to the UP community but to the whole country as well. Roman and UP Chancellor Sergio Cao awarded Olivera for his outstanding research in the field of marine drug discovery.
Filipino American
Filipino Americans are Americans of Filipino ancestry. Filipino Americans, often shortened to "Fil-Ams", or "Pinoy",Filipinos in what is now the United States were first documented in the 16th century, with small settlements beginning in the 18th century...
chemist known for discovery of many cone snail
Cone snail
Conidae is a taxonomic family of minute to quite large sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Conoidea.The snails within this family are sophisticated predatory animals...
toxins important for neuroscience. These molecules, called conotoxin
Conotoxin
A conotoxin is one of a group of neurotoxic peptides isolated from the venom of the marine cone snail, genus Conus.Conotoxins, which are peptides consisting of 10 to 30 amino acid residues, typically have one or more disulfide bonds. Conotoxins have a variety of mechanisms of actions, most of...
s led to a breakthrough in the study of ion channels and neuro-muscular synapses.
He discovered and first characterized E. coli DNA ligase, a key enzyme of genetic engineering and recombinant DNA technology.
Olivera graduated from the University of the Philippines
University of the Philippines
The ' is the national university of the Philippines. Founded in 1908 through Act No...
in 1960. He got a PhD from the California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
(1966) in Biophysical Chemistry, followed by postdoctoral work at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
from 1966-1968. In 1970, he moved to the University of Utah, where he is now a Distinguished Professor of Biology. His laboratory's discovery was featured on the cover of the international scientific journal Science
Science (journal)
Science is the academic journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is one of the world's top scientific journals....
in 1990. He was Harvard 2007 "Scientist of the Year". He is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor, has been elected into the Institute of Medicine and the American Philosophical Society, and became an Elected Member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences in 2009.
His impressive research on both DNA biophysics and conotoxins has enabled Dr. Olivera to serve as an editorial board member of various scientific publications. He served as a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Biological Chemistry from 1982 to 1987, the Journal of Toxinology – Toxin Reviews from 1990 to 1993, and Toxicon from 2000 until the present. In addition, he was a member of the review committee of the journal Cellular and Molecular Basis of Disease from 1982 to 1986. Dr Olivera has also served as a committee member of various institutions. He was a member of the Visiting Committee of the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry of Harvard University from 1988 to 1995, the Advisory Committee to the Director of the National Institutes of Health from 1996 to 1999, the Toxicology Advisory Committee of the Burroughs-Wellcome Foundation from 1999 to 2001, and has been a member of the Searle Scholars Advisory Board since 2007.
On July 9, 2007, UP honored Olivera, for his research on neuropharmacology using the venom of conesnails (carnivorous, predatory marine snails which thrive in tropical and subtropical habitats). UP President Dr. Emerlinda Roman
Emerlinda Roman
Dr. Emerlinda Ramos–Roman is a Filipino academic. She was the President of the University of the Philippines from 2005 to 2011...
said Olivera’s award "brings honor" not only to the UP community but to the whole country as well. Roman and UP Chancellor Sergio Cao awarded Olivera for his outstanding research in the field of marine drug discovery.