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Allis, Grunstein, Glen, Steitz win 2018 Lasker Awards

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C. David Allis
Michael Grunstein
John B. Glen
Joan Argetsinger Steitz

The Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation announced Sept. 11 the winners of its 2018 Lasker Awards:

  • C. David Allis from Rockefeller University and Michael Grunstein from the University of California, Los Angeles will receive the Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award, for discoveries elucidating how gene expression is influenced by chemical modification of histones—the proteins that package DNA within chromosomes.

  • John B. Glen, formerly from AstraZeneca, will be honored with the Lasker~DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award, for the discovery and development of propofol, a chemical whose rapid action and freedom from residual effects have made it the most widely used agent for induction of anesthesia in patients throughout the world.

  • Joan Argetsinger Steitz from Yale University will receive the Lasker~Koshland Special Achievement Award in Medical Science, for four decades of leadership in biomedical science—exemplified by pioneering discoveries in RNA biology, generous mentorship of budding scientists, and vigorous and passionate support of women in science.

Widely regarded as America’s top biomedical research prize, the Lasker Awards carry an honorarium of $250,000 for each category. The awards will be presented Friday, Sept. 21, in New York City.

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