Philip Leder facts for kids

Philip Leder (born November 19, 1934 – died February 2, 2020) was an American scientist who studied genetics. He made big discoveries about how our bodies work at a tiny level.

Early Life and Learning

Philip Leder was born in Washington, D.C.. He went to Harvard University and finished his studies there in 1956. In 1960, he graduated from Harvard Medical School. After that, he completed his medical training at the University of Minnesota.

Amazing Science Discoveries

Philip Leder made many important discoveries in genetics from the 1960s to the 1990s.

Cracking the Genetic Code

He is most famous for his early work with Marshall Nirenberg. They helped figure out the genetic code. This code is like a secret language that tells our cells how to build proteins. Their work, known as the Nirenberg and Leder experiment, was a huge step in understanding life.

Genes and Antibodies

Leder also made discoveries in molecular genetics and immunology. He studied how our genes are organized. His team found the exact sequence of a whole gene in mammals. This helped them understand how genes are controlled.

He also researched genes that make antibody molecules. Antibodies are special proteins that help our bodies fight off sickness. Leder wanted to know how our bodies can make so many different kinds of antibodies with a limited number of genes.

Cancer Research

Leder's work on antibody genes led him to study Burkitt's lymphoma. This is a type of cancer that affects cells that make antibodies. He found that a specific gene, called c-myc, was involved in this cancer. This discovery was very important for understanding how this type of tumor starts.

The "Oncomouse"

In 1988, Philip Leder and Timothy Stewart got the first patent for a genetically engineered animal. This animal was a mouse. Scientists put new genes into its embryo to make it more likely to get cancer. This mouse became known as the "oncomouse". It has been used by scientists to study cancer and test new ways to treat it.

Important Positions

In 1968, Leder became the head of the Biochemistry Department at the National Institutes of Health. He later became the director of the Laboratory for Molecular Genetics there in 1972. He stayed in that role until 1980.

Then, he went back to Harvard Medical School. He started a new Department of Genetics and became its first leader. He retired from this position in 2008. Philip Leder passed away on February 2, 2020, due to health problems.

Awards and Honors

Philip Leder received many awards for his scientific work. He was a member of important groups like the National Academy of Sciences.

Some of his major awards include:

• The Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement (1981)
• The Lasker Award (1987)
• The National Medal of Science (1991)
• The Harvey Prize
• The Heineken Prize from the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences

In 2015, he received an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Basel in Switzerland for all his achievements.

See also

In Spanish: Philip Leder para niños