Mario Capecchi
Mario Capecchi | |
---|---|
Capecchi at a conference in 2013 | |
Born | Mario Ramberg Capecchi October 6, 1937 Verona,Italy |
Nationality | Italian, American |
Alma mater | Antioch College Harvard University |
Known for | Hox genesinknockout mice |
Awards | Kyoto Prize(1996) Franklin Medal(1997) Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research(2001) Massry Prize(2002) Wolf Prize in Medicine(2002) Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine(2007) |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Genetics |
Institutions | Harvard Medical School University of Utah |
Thesis | On the Mechanism of Suppression and Polypeptide Chain Initiation(1967) |
Doctoral advisor | James D. Watson |
Website | capecchi |
Mario Ramberg Capecchi(born 6 October 1937) is an Italian-born moleculargeneticistand a co-awardee of the 2007Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicinefor discovering a method to create mice in which a specific gene is turned off, known asknockout mice.[1][2][3][4][5][6]He shared the prize withMartin EvansandOliver Smithies.[7]He is currently Distinguished Professor ofHuman GeneticsandBiologyat theUniversity of Utah School of Medicine.[8][9][10][11][12]
Life[edit]
Mario Capecchi was born inVerona,Italy, as the only child of Luciano Capecchi and Lucy Ramberg, an Italian-born[13]daughter of American-bornImpressionistpainter Lucy Dodd Ramberg and German archaeologist Walter Ramberg. His parents weren't married, and due to the chaos in Europe caused byWorld War II,the story of his early life is remarkable, but the details are unclear. In 1941 he and his mother were living nearBolzano,about 160 miles north of his father inReggio Emiliawhen his mother was arrested and deported for pamphleteering and belonging to an anti-Fascistgroup.[14]Prior to her arrest[15]she had made contingency plans by selling her belongings and giving the proceeds to a nearby peasant family to care for her child. However, it was not long before Mario ended up on the streets of Bolzano.[16][17]In July 1942, a few months before his fifth birthday, Italian records suggest he was reunited with his father in Reggio Emilia, which Mario did confirm but stated that he stayed with his father for only for a few brief periods[18]and that he mostly lived on the streets until he was placed in an orphanage towards the end of the war.
Mario almost died of malnutrition. His mother survived the war in Germany (part of the reason the details of his early life are unclear is that she would never talk about her experiences), and when it ended she began a year-long search for him. She finally found him on his ninth birthday in a hospital bed in Reggio Emilia ill with a fever and subsisting on a daily bowl ofchicorycoffee and bread crust. She took him to Rome, where he had his first bath since he had left her care and where, with money sent by his uncle,Edward Ramberg,an American physicist atRCA,they made arrangements to depart to the United States. He and his mother moved toPennsylvaniato live at an "intentionally cooperative community" calledBryn Gweled,[19]which had been co-founded by his uncle. (Capecchi's other maternal uncle, Walter Ramberg, was also a prominent American physicist[20]). He graduated fromGeorge School,a Quaker boarding school inBucks County, Pennsylvania,in 1956.[15]
Capecchi received hisBachelor of Scienceinchemistryandphysicsin 1961 fromAntioch CollegeinOhio.Capecchi came toMITas a graduate student intending to study physics and mathematics,[21]but during the course of his studies, he became interested in molecular biology. His change of interest was driven by the preference of working with few scientists and conducting experiments that did not require the use of big machines. He subsequently transferred to Harvard to join the lab ofJames D. Watson,co-discoverer of the structure of DNA.[22]Capecchi received hisPhDinbiophysicsin 1967[23]fromHarvard University,with his doctoral thesis completed under the tutelage of Watson.
Capecchi was a Junior Fellow of the Society of Fellows at Harvard University from 1967 to 1969. In 1969 he became an assistant professor in the Department ofBiochemistryatHarvard Medical School.He was promoted to associate professor in 1971. In 1973 he joined the faculty at the University of Utah. Since 1988 Capecchi has also been an investigator of theHoward Hughes Medical Institute.He is a member of theNational Academy of Sciences.He has given a talk forDuke University's Program in Genetics and Genomics as part of their Distinguished Lecturer Series.[24]He was the speaker for the 2010 Racker Lectures in Biology & Medicine and Cornell Distinguished Lecture in Cell and Molecular Biology atCornell University.[25]He is a member of theItaly-USA Foundation.
After the Nobel committee publicly announced that Capecchi was awarded the Nobel prize, an Austrian woman named Marlene Bonelli claimed that Capecchi was her long-lost half-brother.[26] In May 2008, Capecchi met with Bonelli, then 69, in northern Italy, and confirmed that she was his sister.[27]
Knockout mice[edit]
Capecchi was awarded the Nobel prize for creating aknockout mouse.This is a mouse, created by genetic engineering and in vitro fertilization, in which a particular gene has been turned off.[28]For this work, Capecchi was awarded the 2007 Nobel prize for medicine or physiology, along withMartin EvansandOliver Smithies,who also contributed.
Capecchi has also pursued a systematic analysis of the mouseHox genefamily. This gene family plays a key role in the control ofembryonic developmentin allmulticellular animals.They determine the placement of cellular development in the proper order along the axis of the body from head to toe.
Honours[edit]
- 1969 –Eli Lilly Award in Biological Chemistry
- 1992 –Bristol-MyersSquibb Award for Distinguished Achievement in Neuroscience Research
- 1993 –Gairdner FoundationInternational Award for Achievements in Medical Sciences
- 1993 –Gairdner Foundation International Award
- 1994 –General MotorsCancer Research FoundationAlfred P. Sloan Jr. Prize
- 1996 –Kyoto Prizein Basic Sciences
- 1996 – German Molecular Bioanalytics Prize
- 1997 –Franklin Medalfor Advancing Our Knowledge of the Physical Sciences
- 1998 –Feodor LynenLectureship
- 1998 –Rosenblatt Prize for Excellence
- 1998 – Baxter Award for Distinguished Research in the Biomedical Sciences
- 1999 – Helen Lowe Bamberger Colby and John E. Bamberger Presidential Endowed Chair in the University of Utah Health Sciences Center
- 2000 – Lectureship in the Life Sciences for the Collège de France
- 2000 –Horace MannDistinguished Alumni Award, Antioch College
- 2000 – Italian Premio Phoenix-Anni Verdi for Genetics Research Award
- 2001 –Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research,co-winner withMartin EvansandOliver Smithies[29]
- 2001 – Spanish Jiménez-Diáz Prize
- 2001 – Pioneers of Progress Award
- 2001 –National Medal of Science[30]
- 2002 – John Scott Medal Award
- 2002 –Massry Prizefrom theKeck School of Medicine,University of Southern California
- 2003 –Pezcoller Foundation-AACR International Award for Cancer Research
- 2002–2003 –Wolf Prize in Medicine
- 2005 –March of Dimes Prize in Developmental Biology
- 2007 –Jacob Heskel Gabbay Award for Biotechnology and Medicine[31]
- 2007 –Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine,co-winner withMartin EvansandOliver Smithies[7]
- 2008 – American Heart Association Distinguished Scientist Award
- 2011 – Cátedra Santiago Grisolía Prize, Valencia Spain
- 2011 – Mike Hogg Award, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
- 2012 –UCSFmedal[32]
- 2012 – Honorary Doctorate Degree, University of Bologna Medical School, Italy
- 2013 – Honorary Doctorate Degree, Cardiff University, United Kingdom
- 2013 – Honorary Doctorate Degree, Ben-Gurion University, Israel
- 2013 – Trinity College Historical Society Gold Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Public Discourse, Dublin Ireland
- 2014 – Keynote Speaker at the Congress of Future Medical Leaders
- 2015 – American Association for Cancer Research Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2017 – ISTT Prize from theInternational Society for Transgenic Technologies[33]
- 2024 – Honorary Doctorate Degree, Yale University, United States[34]
References[edit]
- ^Skipper, Magda(2005)."An Interview With Mario Capecchi".Nature Reviews Genetics.6(6): 434.doi:10.1038/nrg1647.ISSN1471-0056.PMID15934189.S2CID31781543.
- ^Thomas, K. R.; Capecchi, M. R. (1987). "Site-directed mutagenesis by gene targeting in mouse embryo-derived stem cells".Cell.51(3): 503–512.doi:10.1016/0092-8674(87)90646-5.PMID2822260.S2CID31961262.
- ^Mansour, S. L.; Thomas, K. R.; Capecchi, M. R. (1988). "Disruption of the proto-oncogene int-2 in mouse embryo-derived stem cells: A general strategy for targeting mutations to non-selectable genes".Nature.336(6197): 348–352.Bibcode:1988Natur.336..348M.doi:10.1038/336348a0.PMID3194019.S2CID2997260.
- ^Capecchi, M. R. (1980). "High efficiency transformation by direct microinjection of DNA into cultured mammalian cells".Cell.22(2 Pt 2): 479–488.doi:10.1016/0092-8674(80)90358-x.PMID6256082.S2CID2189404.
- ^Chisaka, O.; Capecchi, M. R. (1991). "Regionally restricted developmental defects resulting from targeted disruption of the mouse homeobox gene hox-1.5".Nature.350(6318): 473–479.Bibcode:1991Natur.350..473C.doi:10.1038/350473a0.PMID1673020.S2CID972118.
- ^Thomas, K. R.; Folger, K. R.; Capecchi, M. R. (1986). "High frequency targeting of genes to specific sites in the mammalian genome".Cell.44(3): 419–428.doi:10.1016/0092-8674(86)90463-0.PMID3002636.S2CID30570106.
- ^ab"The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2007".Nobelprize.org.Retrieved2007-10-08.
- ^Mario Capecchipublications indexed byMicrosoft Academic
- ^Kain, K. (2008)."The first transgenic mice: An interview with Mario Capecchi".Disease Models and Mechanisms.1(4–5): 197–201.doi:10.1242/dmm.001966.PMC2590805.PMID19093023.
- ^Cohen-Tannoudji, M. (2007)."Prix Nobel de Médecine 2007".Médecine/Sciences.23(12): 1159–1161.doi:10.1051/medsci/200723121159.PMID18154719.
- ^Capecchi, M. (2005)."An Interview with".Nature Reviews Genetics.6(6): 434.doi:10.1038/nrg1647.PMID15934189.S2CID31781543.
- ^Dennis, C. (2004)."Mario Capecchi: From rags to research".Nature.430(6995): 10–11.Bibcode:2004Natur.430...10D.doi:10.1038/430010a.PMID15229575.S2CID4347862.
- ^Lois M. Collins (2007-10-08)."U. scientist Capecchi wins Nobel Prize".Deseret Morning News.
- ^Troy Goodman (2001-09-16)."U. scientist Mario Cappechi scores a 'knockout'".Salt Lake Tribune.Retrieved2007-10-08.
- ^abSusan Sample (2007)."Scientist Profile: Mario Capecchi".University of Utah.Archived fromthe originalon 2007-10-11.
- ^"The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2007".NobelPrize.org.Retrieved20 February2022.
- ^Hont G (December 2007)."Från gatubarn till Nobelpristagare. Mario Capecchis liv--en askungesaga"[From street child to Nobel Prize winner. Mario Capecchi's life--a Cinderella story].Läkartidningen(in Swedish).104(51–52): 3905–3907.PMID18232538.
- ^"Nobelist's tales of wartime have inconsistencies".Deseret News.Associated Press. 6 November 2007.Retrieved20 February2022.
- ^American Philosophical Society."Edward G. Ramberg Papers".American Philosophical Society.
- ^"Obituaries".The Washington Post.Retrieved2022-06-11.
- ^Andrew Gumbel (2007-10-09)."Mario Capecchi: The man who changed our world".Belfast Telegraph.
- ^Arkajit Dey (2007-10-16)."Two Nobel Prize Winners MIT-Affiliated".The Tech.
- ^Capecchi, Mario(1967).On the Mechanism of Suppression and Polypeptide Chain Initiation(PhD thesis). Harvard University.ProQuest302261581.
- ^"Distinguished Lecture Series".Duke University.Archived fromthe originalon 2007-09-08.
- ^"MBG Annual Racker Lecture".Cornell University.
- ^Peter Popham (2007-10-18)."Reunion beckons for Nobel winner and his long lost step-sister".Belfast Telegraph.
- ^"'Looking at the pictures, it was obviously my sister,' Capecchi said, noting her resemblance to their mother.""Nobel Winner Reunited With Sister Lost in WWII".ABC News.Associated Press. 2008-06-06.
- ^University of Utah,Transgenic Mice
- ^"2001 Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research".Lasker Foundation. Archived fromthe originalon 2007-09-30.Retrieved2007-10-01.
- ^"The President's National Medal of Science: Recipient Details | NSF - National Science Foundation".nsf.gov.
- ^"Past Winners".brandeis.edu.
- ^"UCSF Medal".Office of the Chancellor.Retrieved1 July2020.
- ^"Program and Abstracts of the 14th Transgenic Technology Meeting (TT2017): Snowbird Resort, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, 1–4 October 2017".Transgenic Research.26(S1): 1–45. 2017-09-01.doi:10.1007/s11248-017-0033-2.ISSN0962-8819.PMID28864935.S2CID32962450.
- ^"Yale awards nine honorary degrees".YaleNews.2024-05-20.Retrieved2024-05-21.
External links[edit]
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute biography
- Mario Capecchi's Short Talk: "The Birth of Gene Targeting"
- Mario R. Capecchion Nobelprize.org including the Nobel Lecture on 7 December 2007Gene Targeting 1977 - Present
- Eccles Institute of Human Genetics biography
- University of Utah biography
- Interviews with Mario Capecchi from Dolan DNA Learning Center'sDNA Interactive
- Capecchi animation from Dolan DNA Learning Center'sDNA from the Beginning
- Interview with Dr CapecchiFutures in Biotech 63: How To Use A Mouse
- 1937 births
- Members of the United States National Academy of Sciences
- Living people
- Scientists from Verona
- American geneticists
- American Nobel laureates
- Antioch College alumni
- Nobel laureates in Physiology or Medicine
- Italian Nobel laureates
- Harvard University alumni
- University of Utah faculty
- Kyoto laureates in Basic Sciences
- Wolf Prize in Medicine laureates
- Scientists from Salt Lake City
- 21st-century Italian inventors
- National Medal of Science laureates
- Howard Hughes Medical Investigators
- Recipients of the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research
- Italian emigrants to the United States
- Homeless people
- Street children
- Massry Prize recipients
- George School alumni
- Members of the National Academy of Medicine
- Recipients of Franklin Medal