Richard J. RobertsBorn 6 Sep 1943.English molecular biologist whoshared(with Phillip A. Sharp) the 1993 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, awarded for their discovery of “split genes.”In 1977, each independently discovered that genes could be discontinuous, that is, a given gene could be present in the genetic material (DNA) as several, well-separated segments. This discovery has changed our view on how genes in higher organisms develop during evolution. It also led to the prediction of a new genetic process - splicing - which is essential for expressing the genetic information. Their discovery has also been of fundamental importance for today's basic research in biology, as well as for more medically oriented research concerning the development of cancer and other diseases. |
