Michael Rosbash

Michael Rosbash was born on March 7, 1944, in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. He is an American geneticist and chronobiologist, best known for his work on the circadian rhythms in Drosophila, the fruit fly. His groundbreaking research has significantly contributed to our understanding of the biological clock and its influence on living organisms.

Michael Rosbash joined the faculty of Brandeis University in 1974 as an assistant professor. At Brandeis, he embarked on a prolific career in research and academia, where he focused on the genetic underpinnings of circadian rhythms in Drosophila. His work at Brandeis served as the foundation for his future breakthroughs in chronobiology.

Michael Rosbash, together with his research team, discovered the timeless (tim) gene in 1990. This gene works in conjunction with the period gene to regulate circadian rhythms in Drosophila. The identification of these key genetic components helped pave the way for further studies on the genetic control of circadian rhythms in higher organisms, including humans.

In 1998, Rosbash and his team discovered the doubletime (dbt) gene, another important component in the molecular mechanisms regulating circadian rhythms in Drosophila. This finding helped fill in gaps in the understanding of the molecular feedback loops that drive the biological clock, and contributed to the broader understanding of circadian biology.

In 1984, Michael Rosbash and his colleague Jeffrey C. Hall identified the period (per) gene in Drosophila, a major advancement in understanding how genetic factors influence biological clocks. Their discovery was crucial in defining how circadian rhythms are regulated at a molecular level, providing insights into similar mechanisms in other organisms.

Michael Rosbash graduated from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in 1965, where he was awarded a degree in chemistry. His education at Caltech laid the groundwork for his future contributions to genetics and chronobiology, influencing his innovative research in the field of biological rhythms.

In 2018, Michael Rosbash was elected as a Foreign Member of the Royal Society, one of the most prestigious scientific societies in the world. This honor recognized his impactful contributions to the field of chronobiology and genetics and affirmed his status as a leading figure in the scientific community.

In 1970, Michael Rosbash completed his PhD in biophysics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His doctoral studies at MIT provided him with the foundational knowledge and skills that he later applied to his pioneering research in the area of circadian biology, which has greatly impacted the scientific understanding of biological clocks.

In 2003, Michael Rosbash was elected as a member of the National Academy of Sciences. This prestigious recognition was a testament to his outstanding contributions to the field of genetics and chronobiology, highlighting his influential research and the impact his discoveries have had on the biological sciences.

Michael Rosbash, along with Jeffrey C. Hall and Michael W. Young, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2017 for their discoveries of molecular mechanisms controlling the circadian rhythm. This prestigious award recognized decades of research into the genetic and molecular foundations of biological clocks, emphasizing the significance of their work on human health.