Elliot Meyerowitz
Encyclopedia
Elliot Meyerowitz is an American biologist.
He is George W. Beadle Professor of Biology, Division of Biology at the California Institute of Technology
, he served as Chair of the Biology Division from 2000 to 2010.
He was appointed as Inaugural Director of the Sainsbury Laboratory at the University of Cambridge
and elected into a Professorship in the University, and a Professorial Fellowship at Trinity College, with effect from 1 January 2011, while on leave from the California Institute of Technology.
Dr. Meyerowitz earned his A.B. from Columbia University
, and M.Phil. and Ph.D. degrees in Biology from Yale University
. He joined the Caltech faculty after a postdoctoral period at the Biochemistry Department of the Stanford University
School of Medicine.
Dr. Meyerowitz was a Drosophila melanogaster
expert before he became a pioneer of Arabidopsis thaliana
research. Dr. Meyerowitz is well known for his contributions on the genetic and molecular basis of plant hormone reception, and on the molecular mechanisms of pattern formation during flower and shoot apical meristem
development. More recently, he has turned his attention to physcial models of shoot morphogenesis. He has trained many of the current leaders in modern plant biology, including Steven Jacobsen, Marty Yanofsky and Detlef Weigel
.
Dr. Meyerowitz is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
(1991), the U.S. National Academy of Sciences
(1995), and the American Philosophical Society
(1998), and is a foreign member of the French Académie des Sciences (2002) and the Royal Society
(2004).
Among the awards he has received are the Genetics Society of America Medal in 1996, the International Prize for Biology from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science in 1997, the Richard Lounsbery Award from the U.S. National Academy of Sciences in 1999, the Wilbur Cross Medal of Yale University in 2001, the Harrison Prize of the International Society of Developmental Biologists in 2005 and the Balzan Prize
for "Plant Molecular Genetics" in 2006 (with Christopher Somerville).
He is a member of the editorial board of eight leading journals in genetics, genomics, and developmental biology, and has served as president of the International Society for Plant Molecular Biology (1995-7), the Genetics Society of America (1999) and the Society for Developmental Biology (2005-6).
Dr. Meyerowitz serves on the scientific advisory board of Mendel Biotechnology, Inc.
, a company that is collaborating with Monsanto
and many other agricultural enterprises.
He is George W. Beadle Professor of Biology, Division of Biology at 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...
, he served as Chair of the Biology Division from 2000 to 2010.
He was appointed as Inaugural Director of the Sainsbury Laboratory at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
and elected into a Professorship in the University, and a Professorial Fellowship at Trinity College, with effect from 1 January 2011, while on leave from the California Institute of Technology.
Dr. Meyerowitz earned his A.B. from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, and M.Phil. and Ph.D. degrees in Biology from Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. He joined the Caltech faculty after a postdoctoral period at the Biochemistry Department of the 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...
School of Medicine.
Dr. Meyerowitz was a Drosophila melanogaster
Drosophila melanogaster
Drosophila melanogaster is a species of Diptera, or the order of flies, in the family Drosophilidae. The species is known generally as the common fruit fly or vinegar fly. Starting from Charles W...
expert before he became a pioneer of Arabidopsis thaliana
Arabidopsis thaliana
Arabidopsis thaliana is a small flowering plant native to Europe, Asia, and northwestern Africa. A spring annual with a relatively short life cycle, arabidopsis is popular as a model organism in plant biology and genetics...
research. Dr. Meyerowitz is well known for his contributions on the genetic and molecular basis of plant hormone reception, and on the molecular mechanisms of pattern formation during flower and shoot apical meristem
Meristem
A meristem is the tissue in most plants consisting of undifferentiated cells , found in zones of the plant where growth can take place....
development. More recently, he has turned his attention to physcial models of shoot morphogenesis. He has trained many of the current leaders in modern plant biology, including Steven Jacobsen, Marty Yanofsky and Detlef Weigel
Detlef Weigel
Detlef Weigel is a German American scientist working at the interface of developmental and evolutionary biology.-Scientific career:...
.
Dr. Meyerowitz is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
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), the U.S. National Academy of Sciences
United States 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." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
(1995), and the American Philosophical Society
American Philosophical Society
The American Philosophical Society, founded in 1743, and located in Philadelphia, Pa., is an eminent scholarly organization of international reputation, that promotes useful knowledge in the sciences and humanities through excellence in scholarly research, professional meetings, publications,...
(1998), and is a foreign member of the French Académie des Sciences (2002) and the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
(2004).
Among the awards he has received are the Genetics Society of America Medal in 1996, the International Prize for Biology from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science in 1997, the Richard Lounsbery Award from the U.S. National Academy of Sciences in 1999, the Wilbur Cross Medal of Yale University in 2001, the Harrison Prize of the International Society of Developmental Biologists in 2005 and the Balzan Prize
Balzan Prize
The International Balzan Prize Foundation awards four annual monetary prizes to people or organisations who have made outstanding achievements in the fields of humanities, natural sciences, culture, as well as for endeavours for peace and the brotherhood of man.-Rewards and assets:Each year the...
for "Plant Molecular Genetics" in 2006 (with Christopher Somerville).
He is a member of the editorial board of eight leading journals in genetics, genomics, and developmental biology, and has served as president of the International Society for Plant Molecular Biology (1995-7), the Genetics Society of America (1999) and the Society for Developmental Biology (2005-6).
Dr. Meyerowitz serves on the scientific advisory board of Mendel Biotechnology, Inc.
Mendel Biotechnology, Inc.
Mendel Biotechnology, Inc. is a biotechnology company, founded in 1997, and based in Hayward, California. The company has undertaken research into transcription factors, and have patented their use of transcription factor-based technologies in manipulating crop plant traits.Since its inception,...
, a company that is collaborating with Monsanto
Monsanto
The Monsanto Company is a US-based multinational agricultural biotechnology corporation. It is the world's leading producer of the herbicide glyphosate, marketed in the "Roundup" brand of herbicides, and in other brands...
and many other agricultural enterprises.