Elizabeth Blackburn

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Elizabeth Blackburn

Born Nov. 26, 1948
Hobart, Tasmania
Residence US
Nationality American, Australian
Fields Biologist
Institutions Yale University, University of California, Berkeley, University of California, San Francisco, Salk Institute
Alma mater University of Melbourne, University of Cambridge
Doctoral students Carol W. Greider
Notable awards Heineken Prize, Lasker Award, Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize, L'Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science (2008)

Elizabeth (Liz) Helen Blackburn (b. November 26, 1948 in Hobart, Tasmania) is an Australian-born U.S. biologist who studies the telomere, a structure at the end of chromosomes which protects the chromosome. Blackburn also co-discovered telomerase, the enzyme that replenishes the telomere, and was laureated with the 2008 L'Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science "for the discovery of the nature and maintenance of chromosome ends and their roles in cancer and aging."

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[edit] Early life and education

Blackburn was educated in the state of Victoria (Australia) at local public schools and then moved to the University of Melbourne on a full scholarship at Janet Clarke Hall earning a B.Sc. (1970) and M.Sc. (1972), and earned her Ph. D. (1975) from the University of Cambridge in England. Her postdoctoral study in molecular and cellular biology was at Yale University (1975-1977).

[edit] Work

In 1978, Dr. Blackburn joined the faculty of the University of California, Berkeley in the Department of Molecular Biology. In 1990, she moved across the Bay to the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where she served as Department Chair from 1993 to 1999. Dr. Blackburn is currently the Morris Herzstein Professor of Biology and Physiology at UCSF. She is also a non-resident fellow of the Salk Institute.

[edit] Bioethics

Blackburn was appointed a member of the President's Council on Bioethics in 2001. She was fired in February 2004 reportedly for taking to task the Chairman (Professor Leon Kass) over her outspoken opposition to the removal from the council's consideration of discussion on the ethics of research on embryonic stem cells. This was followed by expressions of outrage over her removal by many scientists.[1]

In 2007, Blackburn was listed among Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in The World.[2]

Blackburn serves on the Science Advisory Board of the Genetics Policy Institute.

[edit] Awards

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ AP (2004-03-19). Scientists rally around stem cell advocate fired by Bush. Retrieved on 2008-05-30.
  2. ^ Alice Park. The Time 100: Elizabeth Blackburn. Retrieved on 2008-05-30.


Persondata
NAME Blackburn, Elizabeth
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION American Biologist
DATE OF BIRTH Nov. 26, 1948
PLACE OF BIRTH Hobart, Tasmania
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH .......... still alive
Languages