Honorary Degree Recipient
Doctor of Science
College of Biological Sciences, May 13, 2011
Phillip A. Sharp, Nobel Laureate, is considered to be one of the most accomplished and visionary scientists in the world. He is the Institute Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research is centered on the molecular biology of gene expression relevant to cancer and the mechanisms of RNA splicing. His discovery of RNA splicing in 1977 provided on of the first indications of the startling phenomenon of "discontinuous genes" in mammalian cells. This discovery fundamentally changed scientists' understanding of the structure of gene, information important in understanding the genetic causes of cancer and other diseases. He is the author of more than 350 scientific papers. He is the recipient of numerous awards including the Gairdner Foundation International Award, General Motors Research Foundation Alfred P. Sloan, Jr. Prize for Cancer Research, the Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award, the National Medal of Science, and the inaugural Double Helix Medal from CSHL. He is also an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society. In addition, has served on many advisory boards for the government, academic institutions, scientific societies and companies. Dr. Sharp co-founded Biogen (now Biogen Idec) in 1978 and in 2002 he co-founded Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, an early-stage therapeutics company.
Biographies are as-of time of award presentation.