James E. Darnell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James E. Darnell
|
|
|---|---|
James E. Darnell receiving the 2002 National Medal of Science
|
|
| Born | September 9, 1930 |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Alma mater |
|
| Known for |
|
| Awards | Albany Medical Center Prize (2012) Albert Lasker Special Achievement Award (2002) National Medal of Science (2002) E.B. Wilson Medal (1998) Canada Gairdner International Award (1986) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields |
|
| Institutions |
|
James Edwin Darnell Jr. is an important American scientist. He was born on September 9, 1930, in Columbus, Mississippi. Dr. Darnell is famous for his amazing discoveries about how cells work. He helped us understand how genetic information is used and how cells talk to each other. He also wrote a popular textbook called Molecular Cell Biology.
In 2004, he was chosen as a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. This is a very respected group of scientists. In 2013, he also became a member of the American Philosophical Society. This is one of the oldest and most famous groups for thinkers in the United States.
Since 2013, Dr. Darnell has been part of the Advisory Council for the National Center for Science Education. This group helps make sure that science is taught well in schools.
Contents
Understanding Cells and Genes
James Darnell's work has greatly changed how we understand living things. He focused on two main areas:
How Cells Process RNA
Dr. Darnell made a big discovery about something called RNA processing. Imagine DNA as a giant cookbook with all the recipes for a cell. When a cell needs to make something, it copies a recipe from the DNA onto a smaller message called RNA.
Before this RNA message can be used, it needs to be edited. Dr. Darnell found out how cells in complex organisms, like humans, edit these RNA messages. This editing process is super important because it makes sure the cell gets the correct instructions to build proteins. Proteins are like the tiny machines that do all the work inside a cell.
How Cells Talk to Each Other
Another big discovery by Dr. Darnell was about cytokine signaling. Cells in your body are always talking to each other. They use special messenger proteins called cytokines to send signals.
Dr. Darnell figured out how these signals work. He discovered how cytokines, which are outside a cell, can tell the genes inside the cell's nucleus what to do. This communication is vital for many body functions, like fighting off sickness or helping cells grow.
Awards and Recognition
Dr. James Darnell has received many important awards for his scientific work. These awards show how much his discoveries have helped us understand biology.
- 1999 Dickson Prize: This award recognizes scientists who have made great progress in medicine.
- 1999 William B. Coley Award: This award is given for important discoveries in immunology, which is the study of the body's immune system.
- 2002 National Medal of Science: This is one of the highest honors a scientist can receive in the United States. It is given by the President.
- 2002 Albert Lasker Special Achievement Award: Often called "America's Nobel," this award celebrates major medical research.
- 2010 Hope Funds Award in Basic Research: This award supports scientists doing important basic research, often related to cancer.
- 2012 Albany Medical Center Prize: This prize honors scientists who have made significant advances in medicine and biomedical research.
