Richard H. Ebright facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard H. Ebright
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|---|---|
| Born |
Richard High Ebright
June 11, 1959 |
| Alma mater | Harvard University |
| Awards | Searle Scholar Award (1989), National Institutes of Health MERIT Award (2013) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Molecular biology |
| Institutions |
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| Thesis | Structure-function studies with the catabolite gene activator protein (CAP) of Escherichia coli (1986) |
Richard High Ebright is an American molecular biologist. He is a professor at Rutgers University and a director at the Waksman Institute of Microbiology. He studies how cells work at a very tiny level, especially how DNA and proteins interact.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Richard Ebright was born on June 11, 1959. He went to Harvard University for his college studies. In 1981, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology with very high honors. He continued his studies at Harvard and received his Ph.D. degree in microbiology and molecular genetics in 1987. During his time there, from 1984 to 1987, he was also a special student researcher with the Harvard Society of Fellows.
Career and Research
In 1987, Dr. Ebright started working as a professor in the Department of Chemistry at Rutgers University. He also became a Laboratory Director at the Waksman Institute of Microbiology. From 1997 to 2013, he was also a researcher for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Understanding How Cells Work
Dr. Ebright's research focuses on how cells read and use the information in DNA. He studies how proteins connect with DNA. This helps cells make new proteins and carry out important life functions. He has shown how DNA and proteins "talk" to each other. His work also explores how cells start making new proteins. He discovered how a process called "DNA scrunching" helps this happen. He also found out how bacteria link two important processes: making RNA and making proteins.
Awards and Recognition
Dr. Ebright has received several important awards for his scientific work. In 1994, he won the Schering-Plough Award from the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The next year, in 1995, he received the Walter J. Johnson Prize. In 2013, he was given a MERIT Award from the National Institutes of Health.
He has also been recognized by several scientific groups. He became a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology in 1996. In 2004, he was named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He also became a Fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America in 2011. In 2016, he was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Dr. Ebright's story is even featured in a high school textbook in India. The piece is called 'The Making of a Scientist.' It was adapted from an article by Robert W. Peterson that appeared in Boy's Life magazine.
Focus on Lab Safety
Dr. Ebright is also interested in making sure that scientific laboratories are very safe. He believes it is important to prevent the accidental release of harmful germs. He supports strong safety rules for labs that work with tiny living things. This helps keep everyone safe and healthy.
COVID-19 Origins Discussion
Dr. Ebright has spoken about how the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, might have started. He has said that the virus's genetic makeup does not suggest it was made as a weapon. However, he also believes that scientists should fully investigate if the virus could have accidentally come from a laboratory. He has called for more research to understand the virus's origin. He also supports steps to lower the risk of future pandemics.
