David Baltimore facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids David Baltimore
Baltimore in 2021

6th President of the California Institute of Technology
In office 1997–2005
Preceded by	Thomas Eugene Everhart
Succeeded by	Jean-Lou Chameau
6th President of Rockefeller University
In office 1990–1991
Preceded by	Joshua Lederberg
Succeeded by	Torsten Wiesel

Personal details
Born	(1938-03-07)March 7, 1938 New York City, U.S.
Died	September 6, 2025(2025-09-06) (aged 87) Woods Hole, Massachusetts, U.S.
Spouse	Alice S. Huang (m. 1968)
Children	1
Education	Swarthmore College (BA) Rockefeller University (PhD)

Known for	Reverse transcriptase Baltimore classification
Awards	NAS Award in Molecular Biology (1974) Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1975) Sir Hans Krebs Medal (1997) National Medal of Science (1999) Lasker Award (2021)
Scientific career
Fields	Cell biology, microbiology
Institutions	Massachusetts Institute of Technology Rockefeller University California Institute of Technology
Thesis	The diversion of macromolecular synthesis in L-cells towards ends dictated by mengovirus (1964)
Doctoral advisor	Richard Franklin
Doctoral students	Sara Cherry

David Baltimore (March 7, 1938 – September 6, 2025) was a very important American biologist and university leader. He won the Nobel Prize in 1975. He was a professor at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and served as its president from 1997 to 2006.

At just 37 years old, David Baltimore won the Nobel Prize with two other scientists, Renato Dulbecco and Howard M. Temin. They were recognized for their discoveries about how certain viruses interact with the genetic material inside cells. His most famous discovery was an enzyme called reverse transcriptase. This enzyme helps some viruses make DNA from RNA, which was a surprising and important finding. His work greatly helped our understanding of immunology (how our bodies fight disease), virology (the study of viruses), and cancer research. He also taught and mentored many students who became successful scientists.

Early Life and Education

Baltimore in the 1970s

David Baltimore was born in Manhattan, New York, on March 7, 1938. He grew up in Queens and later moved to Great Neck, New York, with his family. He graduated from Great Neck North High School in 1956.

He became interested in biology during a summer program at the Jackson Laboratory in Maine. There, he met Howard Martin Temin, who would later share the Nobel Prize with him. Baltimore earned his bachelor's degree from Swarthmore College in 1960. He learned about molecular biology from George Streisinger and later met Salvador Luria and Cyrus Levinthal, who encouraged him to study at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

In 1960, Baltimore started his graduate studies at MIT. He became very interested in animal viruses. He moved to Richard Franklin's lab at Rockefeller University to complete his PhD. There, he made important discoveries about how viruses copy themselves and affect cells. He finished his PhD in just two years.

Career and Research Discoveries

After earning his PhD, David Baltimore continued his research at MIT and later at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He focused on how viruses like poliovirus replicate.

Independent Research

In 1965, David Baltimore joined the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in California. He continued to study how poliovirus RNA copies itself. He also mentored other scientists. During this time, he met Alice S. Huang, who became his wife and research partner. Together, they conducted important experiments on viruses. He discovered that poliovirus makes its proteins as one large piece, which is then cut into smaller, working parts.

Key Discoveries at MIT

Understanding Reverse Transcriptase

In 1968, David Baltimore became a professor at MIT. His wife, Alice Huang, also moved to MIT to continue her research on the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). They found that VSV uses a special enzyme inside the virus to copy its RNA.

Baltimore then studied other viruses, including those that can cause diseases like cancer. He made a groundbreaking discovery: the enzyme reverse transcriptase. This enzyme allows certain viruses, called retroviruses (like HIV), to make DNA from an RNA template. This was a huge surprise because scientists previously thought genetic information only flowed from DNA to RNA to proteins. His discovery showed that information could flow both ways.

This discovery, made at the same time by Howard Martin Temin, made it easier for scientists to study and copy individual genes. It also opened new doors for understanding and treating diseases. In 1972, at age 34, Baltimore became a full professor at MIT.

Safety in Genetic Research

Baltimore also helped organize the Asilomar Conference on Recombinant DNA in 1975. This was a meeting where scientists discussed the possible risks of new genetic engineering tools. They created safety guidelines to make sure this powerful new technology was used responsibly. Baltimore understood how important these changes were, saying that modern biology had gained "new powers."

MIT Cancer Center Work

In 1973, Baltimore became one of the first faculty members at the new MIT Center for Cancer Research. This was a very productive time in his career, leading to many important research papers.

Nobel Prize Recognition

In 1975, David Baltimore, at 37, shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Howard Martin Temin and Renato Dulbecco. They received the award for their discoveries about how viruses that can cause diseases interact with the genetic material of cells. Baltimore's key contribution was the discovery of reverse transcriptase, which is vital for viruses like HIV to reproduce.

After winning the Nobel Prize, Baltimore shifted his research to immunology, studying how the immune system works. His team discovered the oncogene in a virus called AMuLV, which was linked to a new class of proteins involved in cell signaling. In 1981, his lab also created an "infectious clone" of poliovirus, a tool now commonly used in virology.

Leading the Whitehead Institute

In 1982, David Baltimore helped establish the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research (WIBR) at MIT. This new institute was dedicated to basic biomedical research. Baltimore brought together a team of excellent scientists.

Under his leadership, the Whitehead Institute made many important contributions to science. It became known for its research in areas like immunology and genetics. His lab at Whitehead made significant discoveries, including the identification of NF-κB in 1986. This is a key protein that helps control our body's immune responses and how cells react to inflammation.

His lab also worked on creating transgenic mice to study diseases. In 1988 and 1989, his students identified the RAG-1 and RAG-2 proteins, which are crucial for how our immune system learns to recognize and fight specific germs. Baltimore considered this "our most significant discovery in immunology." Another student, George Q. Daley, discovered a protein called bcr-abl that causes a type of leukemia. This work helped develop a new drug, Imatinib (Gleevec), which targets this protein to treat leukemia.

President of Rockefeller University

David Baltimore served as the director of the Whitehead Institute until 1990, when he became the president of Rockefeller University in New York City. He worked to improve the university's financial management and support for younger faculty. He resigned in 1991 and continued research at Rockefeller until 1994, then returned to MIT.

Leading the California Institute of Technology

From left: JPL Director Charles Elachi, La Canada-Flintridge Mayor Greg Brown, Baltimore and JPL Deputy Director Eugene Tattini (2006).

On May 13, 1997, David Baltimore was appointed president of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). He started his term on October 15, 1997.

During his time at Caltech, U.S. President Bill Clinton awarded him the National Medal of Science in 1999. In 2003, a researcher in his lab, Matthew Porteus, was the first to show how to precisely edit genes in human cells.

In October 2005, Baltimore stepped down as president of Caltech. He became President Emeritus and a Distinguished Professor of Biology. In 2021, his professorship title was updated.

Caltech Laboratory Research (1997–2019)

At Caltech, Baltimore's lab focused on two main areas. One was understanding how the mammalian immune system develops and works. The other was creating ways to make the immune system better at fighting diseases like cancer and HIV.

Engineering Immunity

In the early 2000s, his lab developed a special viral tool to help clone genes for T-cell receptors, which are important for immunity. Baltimore started an initiative called "Engineering Immunity" to use these findings to improve health. This program received a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Some of this research led to the creation of new companies focused on gene therapy and even to clinical trials for an HIV vaccine.

MicroRNA Research

Another important area of his lab's research was understanding the role of microRNA in the immune system. MicroRNAs are tiny molecules that help control how much protein is made from our genes. His team discovered a microRNA called miR-146a. They studied mice without this microRNA to understand how it protects stem cells during long-term inflammation, which can be linked to blood cancers.

In 2019, David Baltimore announced that he would be closing his lab. He had been involved in research for 60 years and felt it was time for younger scientists to take the lead.

Public Policy and Science

Throughout his career, David Baltimore played a big role in national science discussions. He helped create agreement among scientists and policymakers on important issues, like the safe use of recombinant DNA technology.

He also spoke out for more funding for AIDS research. In 1986, he co-authored a report calling for a large research program to fight HIV/AIDS. He later led a committee focused on developing an AIDS vaccine. More recently, he joined other scientists in calling for a worldwide pause on using a new gene-editing technique to change human DNA that can be passed down to future generations. This was to ensure careful thought about the ethical issues and risks.

Biotechnology Contributions

David Baltimore held many patents for biotechnology inventions. He helped start several companies, like Calimmune and Immune Design, which aim to turn scientific discoveries into new medicines and health solutions. He also advised many companies and non-profit organizations.

Awards and Legacy

David Baltimore received many honors for his scientific work. These include the NAS Award in Molecular Biology (1974), the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1975), the National Medal of Science (1999), and the Lasker Award (2021). He was elected to many prestigious scientific academies, including the National Academy of Sciences USA and the Royal Society. He published over 700 scientific articles.

In 2019, Caltech named a graduate fellowship program in biochemistry and molecular biophysics in his honor, recognizing his lasting impact on science.

Awards and Honors

1971 First recipient of the Gustav Stern Award in Virology
1971 Warren Triennial Prize
1971 Eli Lilly Award in Immunology and Microbiology
1974 Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
1974 NAS Award in Molecular Biology
1974 Canada Gairdner International Award
1975 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
1983 EMBO Member
1986 Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement
1999 National Medal of Science
2000 Warren Alpert Foundation Prize
2021 Lasker-Koshland Special Achievement Award in Medical Science

Honorary Degrees

1976 Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA
1987 Mount Holyoke College, So. Hadley, MA
1990 Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY
1990 Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
1990 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
1998 Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel
1999 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY
1999 University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL
2001 California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA
2004 Columbia University, New York, NY
2004 Yale University, New Haven, CT
2004 The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
2005 Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
2012 University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Personal Life and Death

David Baltimore married Dr. Alice S. Huang in 1968. They had one daughter. Baltimore enjoyed fly-fishing.

He passed away from cancer at his home in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, on September 6, 2025, at the age of 87.