Prof. Aaron Shatkin University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, USA

Aaron Shatkin majored in chemistry at Bowdoin College and trained at Rockefeller University in microbiology with Nobel laureate E.L. Tatum. In 1986, he was appointed the director of the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, jointly administered by Rutgers University, where he was Professor of Molecular Biology and by UMDNJ-Robert... read moreWood Johnson Medical School where he was Professor of Molecular Genetics, Microbiology and Immunology. His labs findings provided many important insights into how gene expression is regulated in eukaryotic cells and viruses, and in 1975 he made his key discovery of a unique cap structure in the 5′-end of reovirus mRNAs, which had a significant impact on our understanding of the biogenesis of mRNA. He was the founding editor of Molecular and Cellular Biology and authored more than 200 scientific publications. He received many honours including a DSc (Hon) from Bowdoin College, the Association of American Medical Colleges 2003 Award for Distinguished Research in the Biomedical Sciences, the U.S. Steel Award in Molecular Biology from the National Academy of Sciences, the Thomas Alva Edison Science Award, and the New Jersey Pride Award in Science and Technology. Aaron was a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and a fellow of the N.Y. Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Microbiology, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Aaron passed away on June 4th, 2012. He was a much admired scientist and valued mentor. Aaron was predeceased by his wife, Joan, and is survived by his son, Greg, his brother, Leon; and his sisters, Frances and Marla.