Clifford Tabin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cliff Tabin
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Cliff Tabin in 2014, portrait via the Royal Society
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Clifford James Tabin
January 19, 1954 |
| Education | |
| Known for | Sonic hedgehog |
| Parent(s) | Julius Tabin |
| Awards | |
| Scientific career | |
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| Thesis | Activation of the c-Ha-ras Oncogene (1984) |
| Doctoral advisor | Robert Weinberg |
Clifford James Tabin (born in 1954) is a very important American scientist. He leads the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School. This means he studies how living things grow and develop, especially how their genes work. His work has helped us understand how bodies form and why some things go wrong during development.
Contents
Becoming a Scientist: Cliff Tabin's Education
Cliff Tabin started his science journey at the University of Chicago. In 1976, he earned a degree in physics. He then went to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for his advanced studies.
Studying Genes at MIT
In 1984, he earned his PhD from MIT. His research focused on how genes are controlled. He studied a group of genes called "oncogenes." Oncogenes are genes that can sometimes cause cells to grow out of control, like in cancer. During his time at MIT, he also helped create a special virus that scientists could use to study genes more easily.
Cliff Tabin's Career Journey
After finishing his PhD, Dr. Tabin continued his research at Harvard University. He then moved to Massachusetts General Hospital. There, he focused on how limbs (like arms and legs) develop at a molecular level.
Leading the Genetics Department
In 1989, he joined the faculty at Harvard Medical School. He became a full professor in 1997. In January 2007, he was chosen to lead the entire Department of Genetics.
Amazing Discoveries: Cliff Tabin's Research
Dr. Tabin's research looks at how genes control the development of vertebrates. Vertebrates are animals with backbones, like fish, birds, and humans. He uses both old and new science methods to understand how genes work during embryo development.
Understanding Body Development
He has studied many interesting things, including how retroviruses work and how homeobox genes control body plans. He also looked at how salamanders can regrow their limbs. His team found that tiny differences in gene activity can lead to big differences in how bones form.
The "Sonic Hedgehog" Gene
One of his most famous discoveries involves a gene called "Sonic hedgehog" (named after the video game character!). This gene is super important. It acts like a special signal, or "morphogen," that tells cells where to go and what to become in a developing embryo.
Why Hearts are on the Left
Dr. Tabin's work with Sonic hedgehog helped explain many mysteries. For example, he showed why our heart is usually on the left side of our body, not the right.
How Fingers and Toes Form
He also explained why your thumb is different from your little finger. It's all thanks to how the Sonic hedgehog signal spreads out in the developing limb. This research gives us important clues about why some babies are born with birth defects.
Solving Evolutionary Puzzles
Dr. Tabin's research isn't just about how bodies form. He's also helped solve big puzzles in evolution. For example, he figured out what causes the different beak shapes in Darwin's finches. These birds, found on the Galapagos Islands, have beaks perfectly suited for their food. His work showed how small genetic changes can lead to these amazing differences.
Awards and Special Recognitions
Dr. Tabin has received many important awards for his groundbreaking work:
- In 2014, he was elected a Foreign Member of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists.
- He received the Edwin Grant Conklin Medal in 2012.
- In 2008, he shared the March of Dimes Prize in Developmental Biology with another scientist, Philip A. Beachy.
- He was elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 2007.
- He received the NAS Award in Molecular Biology in 1999.
- He also became a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2000 and the American Philosophical Society in 2019.
About Cliff Tabin's Family
Cliff Tabin is the son of Julius Tabin. His father was a nuclear physicist who worked on a very important science project during World War II. Cliff Tabin has a brother, Geoff Tabin, who is also a well-known eye surgeon. Cliff Tabin also has two children. He even appeared as himself in a BBC Horizon TV show called Hopeful Monsters.
