Reason for Selection

Theme: Visualization and control of molecules within living cells

The imaging of specific mol ecules and their interactions in space and time is essential for understanding the development, physiology, and pathology of living organisms. Dr. Roger Yonchein Tsien has achieved numerous innovative breakthroughs in live imaging using novel techniques. He has developed fluorescent probes that measure intracellular secondary messenger molecules, such as Ca2+ and cAMP, and created light-activated molecules that regulate signal transduction pathways inside living cells. New insights into intracellular signaling via calcium, cyclic nucleotides, nitric oxide, inositol polyphosphates, membrane potential, transport across the nuclear envelope, and gene expression have been gained by researchers all around the world, thanks in part to the molecules developed by Dr. Tsien. These molecules are also becoming increasingly useful in pharmaceutical research involving the use of high-throughput screening in living cells and/or organisms to identify viable drug targets. The impact of Dr. Tsien’s work on our growing un derstanding of the dynamic aspects of biology has clearly been significant.

Background

＜Education＞

1972

Harvard College, A.B. summa cum laude in Chemistry and Physics

1977

University of Cambridge, Ph.D. in Physiology

＜Academic Positions＞

1975-1978

Research assistant to Professor R.D. Keynes, Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge

1978-1981

Postdoctoral research with Dr. T.J. Rink, Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge

1981-1985

Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology-Anatomy, University of California, Berkeley

1985-1987

Associate Professor, Department of Physiology-Anatomy, University of California, Berkeley

1989-

Professor, Departments of Pharmacology and Chemistry, University of California, San Diego;
Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute

（as of September 2004）

＜Major Awards and Honors＞

1995

Artois-Baillet-Latour Health Prize, Belgium

1995

Gairdner Foundation International Award, Canada

2002

ACS Award for Creative Invention, American Chemical Society

2002

Heineken Prize for Biochemistry and Biophysics, Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences

2004

co-recipient of Wolf Prize in Medicine, Israel