Craig Mello facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Craig Cameron Mello
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Mello in 2014
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| Born | October 18, 1960 |
| Education | Brown University (BS) Harvard University (PhD) |
| Known for | RNA interference |
| Awards | Wiley Prize (2003) NAS Award in Molecular Biology (2003) Massry Prize (2005) Gairdner Foundation International Award (2005) Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2006) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Biologist |
| Institutions | University of Massachusetts Medical School |
| Academic advisors | Nelson Fausto Susan Gerbi Ken Miller Frank Rothman Victor Ambros Daniel Stinchcomb |
Craig Cameron Mello, born on October 18, 1960, is an American biologist. He is a professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, Massachusetts. In 2006, he won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine. He shared this award with Andrew Z. Fire. They won for finding out about something called RNA interference. This important discovery was made in 1998. Since 2000, Mello has also been a researcher for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
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Early Life and Family
Craig Mello was born in New Haven, Connecticut. He was the third child of James and Sally Mello. His father, James Mello, studied old fossils, and his mother, Sally Mello, was an artist. Craig's grandparents on his father's side came to the U.S. from the Portuguese islands of Azores. Both of his parents were the first in their families to go to college.
The Mello family moved to Falls Church and then to Fairfax, Virginia. This was because his father took a job at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Craig remembers going on fun trips with his family to places like Colorado and Wyoming.
Craig's family often had important discussions during dinner. This helped him learn to argue, listen, and admit when he was wrong. Even though he struggled in school during his early years, these talks helped him feel more confident. He didn't do well until the seventh grade. He even pretended he could read in second grade! But he always knew he wanted to be a scientist. Today, Craig Mello has two daughters, a step-daughter, and a step-son.
Education Journey
Craig Mello went to Fairfax High School (Fairfax, Virginia). After high school, he studied biochemistry and molecular biology at Brown University. His teacher, Kenneth Miller, said that Craig was very curious. He always asked lots of questions and wanted more information. Craig earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Brown in 1982.
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He then went to the University of Colorado, Boulder for graduate school. Later, he moved to Harvard University and finished his Ph.D. in 1990. After that, he worked as a researcher at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
Winning the Nobel Prize
In 2006, Craig Mello and Andrew Fire won the Nobel Prize. Their important work started in 1998. They published a paper in the science journal Nature. This paper explained how tiny pieces of RNA can stop genes from making proteins. This process is called RNA interference (RNAi). It's like turning off a specific gene.
Mello shared the story of how he found out he won the Nobel Prize. It was very early in the morning, around 4:30 AM. His wife told him not to answer the phone because she thought it was a prank call. But when he realized it was the day Nobel winners were announced, he answered. The person on the phone told him to get ready because his life was about to change!
The Nobel committee said that Mello and Fire discovered a basic way that living things control their genetic information. Their research showed that RNA plays a key role in how genes work. This discovery completely changed how scientists think about biology. It opened up a whole new area of study.
Science and Life Views
Craig Mello believes that science can bring people together. He said that science values questions more than beliefs. It helps us learn about the world and create new knowledge. He thinks that even though people have different languages, customs, and ideas, science can unite us. It helps us solve problems and understand our place on Earth. He also believes that science shows we all share a common history as humans.
Awards and Recognitions
Craig Mello has received many awards for his important work:
- 2003: Co-recipient of the National Academy of Sciences Award in Molecular Biology.
- 2003: Co-recipient of the Wiley Prize in the Biomedical Sciences.
- 2005: Elected member of the National Academy of Sciences.
- 2005: Co-recipient of the Lewis S. Rosenstiel Award for Distinguished Work in Medical Research.
- 2005: Co-recipient of the Gairdner Foundation International Award.
- 2005: Co-recipient of the Massry Prize.
- 2006: Co-recipient of the Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize.
- 2006: First person to receive The Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research.
- 2006: Co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
- 2007: Received an honorary doctorate from Brown University.
- 2007: Received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement.
- 2008: Received an honorary doctorate from Simmons College.
- 2008: Received the Hope Funds Award of Excellence in Basic Research.
See also
In Spanish: Craig C. Mello para niños
