Thomas Tuschl
Encyclopedia
Thomas Tuschl is a German
biochemist
and Molecular biologist
researching RNA
.
. After graduating in chemistry from Regensburg university Tuschl received his PhD in 1995 from Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine
in Göttingen
. He spent four years as postdoctoral fellow at the Whitehead Institute
of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT) in Cambridge, USA.
In 1999 he returned to Göttingen to the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry
. There he received international recognition in Genetics
for his studies of RNA interference
in collaboration with the laboratory of Klaus Weber
. This enables "switching off" certain Gene
s by introducing synthetic short RNA into the cell
. The mRNA is destroyed and the gene in deactivated. Possible future applications of this method include treatment of tumor
s or genetic disorder
s. The function of certain genes can be studied more easily. RNA interference is a major step in genetics.
In 2003 Tuschl became professor and head of laboratory at Rockefeller University
in New York, where he continues his research. He is looking into Micro-RNA, small RNA-sections, which are formed by the cells and cause RNA interference like introduced synthetic RNA-Strains.
In 2006 some of Tuschl fellow researchers received the Nobel Prize.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
biochemist
Biochemist
Biochemists are scientists who are trained in biochemistry. Typical biochemists study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. The prefix of "bio" in "biochemist" can be understood as a fusion of "biological chemist."-Role:...
and Molecular biologist
Molecular biology
Molecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry...
researching RNA
RNA
Ribonucleic acid , or RNA, is one of the three major macromolecules that are essential for all known forms of life....
.
Biography
Tuschl was born in Altdorf bei NürnbergAltdorf bei Nürnberg
Altdorf bei Nürnberg is a town in south-eastern Germany. It is situated 25 km east of Nuremberg, in the district Nürnberger Land. Its name literally means Altdorf near Nuremberg, to distinguish it from other Altdorfs.-History:...
. After graduating in chemistry from Regensburg university Tuschl received his PhD in 1995 from Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine
Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine
The Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine is located in Göttingen, Germany. It was founded as Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Medical Research in 1947, and was renamed in 1965. It is one of 80 institutes in the Max Planck Society ....
in Göttingen
Göttingen
Göttingen is a university town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Göttingen. The Leine river runs through the town. In 2006 the population was 129,686.-General information:...
. He spent four years as postdoctoral fellow at the Whitehead Institute
Whitehead Institute
Founded in 1982, the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research is a non-profit research and teaching institution located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA....
of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
(MIT) in Cambridge, USA.
In 1999 he returned to Göttingen to the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry
Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry
The Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen is a research institute of the Max Planck Society. Currently, 812 people work at the Institute, 353 of them are scientists....
. There he received international recognition in Genetics
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
for his studies of RNA interference
RNA interference
RNA interference is a process within living cells that moderates the activity of their genes. Historically, it was known by other names, including co-suppression, post transcriptional gene silencing , and quelling. Only after these apparently unrelated processes were fully understood did it become...
in collaboration with the laboratory of Klaus Weber
Klaus Weber
Klaus Weber is a German scientist who has made many fundamentally important contributions to Biochemistry, Cell Biology and Molecular Biology, and was for many years the director of the Laboratory of Biochemistry and Cell Biology at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen,...
. This enables "switching off" certain Gene
Gene
A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...
s by introducing synthetic short RNA into the cell
Cell (biology)
The cell is the basic structural and functional unit of all known living organisms. It is the smallest unit of life that is classified as a living thing, and is often called the building block of life. The Alberts text discusses how the "cellular building blocks" move to shape developing embryos....
. The mRNA is destroyed and the gene in deactivated. Possible future applications of this method include treatment of tumor
Tumor
A tumor or tumour is commonly used as a synonym for a neoplasm that appears enlarged in size. Tumor is not synonymous with cancer...
s or genetic disorder
Genetic disorder
A genetic disorder is an illness caused by abnormalities in genes or chromosomes, especially a condition that is present from before birth. Most genetic disorders are quite rare and affect one person in every several thousands or millions....
s. The function of certain genes can be studied more easily. RNA interference is a major step in genetics.
In 2003 Tuschl became professor and head of laboratory at Rockefeller University
Rockefeller University
The Rockefeller University is a private university offering postgraduate and postdoctoral education. It has a strong concentration in the biological sciences. It is also known for producing numerous Nobel laureates...
in New York, where he continues his research. He is looking into Micro-RNA, small RNA-sections, which are formed by the cells and cause RNA interference like introduced synthetic RNA-Strains.
In 2006 some of Tuschl fellow researchers received the Nobel Prize.
Awards
Tuschl received several national and international awards for his work:- 2008: Ernst Jung PrizeErnst Jung PrizeThe Ernst Jung Prize is a prize awarded annually for excellence in biomedical sciences. The Ernst Jung Foundation, funded by Hamburg merchant Ernst Jung in 1967 grants the Ernst Jung Prize in Medicine, now € 300,000, since 1976 and the lifetime achievement Ernst Jung Gold Medal for Medicine since...
- 2007: Max-Delbrück-Medal, Berlin
- 2005: Ernst-Schering-Preis, Berlin
- 2005: Meyenburg PrizeMeyenburg PrizeThe Meyenburg Prize is awarded for outstanding achievements in cancer research by the Meyenburg Foundation in support of the German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg , which is the largest biomedical research institution in Germany...
, Heidelberg - 2005: Dr. Albert Wander Gedenk-Preis, Bern, Schweiz
- 2003: Mayor's Award for Excellence in Science and Technology, New York, USA
- 2003: Co-recipient (with Craig MelloCraig MelloCraig Cameron Mello is a Portuguese-American biologist and Professor of Molecular Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, Massachusetts. He was awarded the 2006 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, along with Andrew Z. Fire, for the discovery of RNA interference...
, Andrew FireAndrew FireAndrew Zachary Fire is an American biologist and professor of pathology and of genetics at the Stanford University School of Medicine. He was awarded the 2006 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, along with Craig C. Mello, for the discovery of RNA interference...
and David Baulcombe) of the Wiley PrizeWiley PrizeThe 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 the Biomedical Sciences, The Wiley Foundation, USA - 2003: Newcomb Cleveland Prize, American Association for the Advancement of Science, USA
- 2002: Eppendorf Young Investigator Award, Hamburg
- 2002: Otto-Klung-Weberbank-Preis for Chemistry and Physics, Berlin
External links
- Interview with Thomas Tuschl in sciencegarden