Life Sciences (Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Neurobiology)

Mario Renato Capecchi

U.S.A. / October 6, 1937
Molecular Geneticist; Professor, The University of Utah

A molecular geneticist who developed the "gene targeting" technique, which is widely used around the world today. With his success in breeding mice in which targeted genes were inactivated, referred to as "knock-out" mice, Dr. Capecchi established a new avenue for researching how genes work. His method of research has benefited immensely such branches of life sciences as biology, medicine and agriculture.

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY

1937	Born in Verona, Italy
1961	B.S. Antioch College, U.S.A.
1967	Ph.D. Harvard University
1968	Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School
1973	Professor of Biology, University of Utah
1988-present	Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute
1989-present	Professor of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Utah

AWARDS AND HONORS

1969	American Chemical Society Awards in Biochemistry
1974	American Cancer Society Faculty Research Award
1986	Chairman of the Gordon Conference on Molecular Genetics
1991	Member of the National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A.
1993	Gairdner Foundation International Award for Achievements in Medical Sciences, Canada
1994	Sloan Prize, General Motors Cancer Research Foundation, U.S.A.

MAJOR WORKS

1980	High efficiency transformation by direct microinjection of DNA into cultured mammalian cells. Cell, 22
1987	Site-directed mutagenesis by gene targeting in mouse embryo-derived stem cells. (with K.R. Thomas) Cell, 51
1988	Disruption of the proto-oncogene int-2in mouse embryo-derived stem cells: a general strategy for targeting mutations to non-selectable genes. (with S.L.Mansour and K.R. Thomas) Nature, 336
1991	Regionally restricted developmental defects resulting from targeted disruption of the mouse homeobox gene hox-1.5 (with O. Chisaka) Nature, 350
1995	Absence of radius and ulna mice lacking hoxa-11 and hoxd-11. (with A.P. Davis, others) Nature, 375

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