Mario Capecchi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mario Capecchi
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Capecchi at a conference in 2013
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Mario Ramberg Capecchi
October 6, 1937 Verona, Italy
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| Nationality | Italian, American |
| Education | Antioch College Harvard University |
| Known for | Hox genes in knockout mice |
| Awards | Kyoto Prize (1996) Franklin Medal (1997) Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research (2001) Massry Prize (2002) Wolf Prize in Medicine (2002) Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2007) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Genetics |
| Institutions | Harvard Medical School University of Utah |
| Thesis | On the Mechanism of Suppression and Polypeptide Chain Initiation (1967) |
| Doctoral advisor | James D. Watson |
Mario Ramberg Capecchi, born on October 6, 1937, is a famous scientist. He is a molecular geneticist, which means he studies genes. He won the 2007 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. He shared this award with Martin Evans and Oliver Smithies. They won for finding a way to create special mice. These mice, called knockout mice, have a specific gene turned off. Today, he is a respected professor at the University of Utah School of Medicine.
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About Mario Capecchi's Life
Mario Capecchi was born in Verona, Italy. His early life was very difficult because of World War II. When he was young, his mother was arrested. Mario ended up living on the streets for a time. He was very young, only about five years old.
He almost died from not having enough food. His mother searched for him for a year after the war ended. She finally found him in a hospital when he was nine. He was very sick.
After this, Mario and his mother moved to the United States. They lived in Pennsylvania in a special community. Mario went to a Quaker boarding school there. He finished school in 1956.
Education and Career
Mario went to Antioch College in Ohio. He earned degrees in chemistry and physics in 1961. He first planned to study physics and math at MIT. But he became very interested in molecular biology. He liked doing experiments that didn't need huge machines.
He then moved to Harvard University. There, he joined the lab of James D. Watson. Watson was famous for helping discover the structure of DNA. Mario earned his PhD in biophysics from Harvard in 1967.
After his studies, Mario became a professor. He taught at Harvard Medical School starting in 1969. In 1973, he moved to the University of Utah. He has also worked as an investigator for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences.
In 2008, Mario met a woman named Marlene Bonelli. She claimed to be his half-sister. They met in Italy, and he confirmed she was indeed his sister.
Understanding Knockout Mice
Mario Capecchi won the Nobel Prize for creating a knockout mouse. A knockout mouse is a special mouse. Scientists use genetic engineering to make it. In these mice, a specific gene has been turned off. This helps scientists understand what that gene does.
Mario Capecchi, Martin Evans, and Oliver Smithies shared the 2007 Nobel Prize. They all helped develop this important method.
Mario has also studied a group of genes called Hox genes. These genes are very important. They control how an animal's body develops. They make sure body parts grow in the right order, from head to toe.
Awards and Recognition
Mario Capecchi has received many awards for his scientific work. Some of his notable honors include:
- 1969 – Eli Lilly Award in Biological Chemistry
- 1992 – Bristol-Myers Squibb Award for Distinguished Achievement in Neuroscience Research
- 1993 – Gairdner Foundation International Award
- 1994 – General Motors Cancer Research Foundation Alfred P. Sloan Jr. Prize
- 1996 – Kyoto Prize in Basic Sciences
- 1997 – Franklin Medal
- 1998 – Rosenblatt Prize for Excellence
- 2001 – Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research
- 2001 – National Medal of Science
- 2002 – Massry Prize
- 2002–2003 – Wolf Prize in Medicine
- 2005 – March of Dimes Prize in Developmental Biology
- 2007 – Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
- 2012 – UCSF medal
- 2024 – Honorary Doctorate Degree, Yale University
See also
In Spanish: Mario Capecchi para niños
