Joan A Steitz PhD

Sterling Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry; Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Biographical Info

As a college student in the 1960s, Joan Steitz never imagined herself as a top-flight scientist. Certainly, she was fascinated by science. She even assisted senior scientists in laboratories at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she was befriended by James D. Watson, co-discoverer of the DNA double helix, and at the Max Planck Institute in Germany. But when it came time to choose a career path, Steitz had convinced herself that she was not devoted enough to research to spend grueling nights and weekends in the laboratory.

Today, Prof. Joan Steitz is one of leading scientists in her field. Steitz is best known for her pioneering work in RNA. She discovered and defined the function of small ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs) in pre-messenger RNA—the earliest product of DNA transcription—and was the first to learn that these cellular complexes (snRNPs) play a key role in processing messenger RNA by excising noncoding regions and splicing together the resulting segments. Her breakthroughs into the previously mysterious splicing process have clarified the science behind the formation of proteins and other biological processes, including the intricate changes that occur as the immune system and brain develop. Steitz earned her Ph.D. from Harvard in 1967. After completing postdoctoral work in Cambridge, England, she joined the Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale as an assistant professor and later became an associate and full professor, as well as chair of the department.

Education & Training

B.S.

Antioch College (1963)

Ph.D.

Harvard University (1967)

Postdoctoral Fellow

Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, England

Honors & Recognition

• The Passano Foundation Young Scientist Award
  The Passano Foundation (1975)
• The Eli Lilly Award in Biological Chemistry
  Eli Lilly (1976)
• Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
  American Association for the Advancement of Science (1981)
• D.Sc. (Hon), Lawrence University
  Lawrence University (1981)
• U.S. Steel Foundation Award in Molecular Biology
  U.S. Steel Foundation (1982)
• Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
  The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1982)
• Member of the National Academy of Sciences
  National Academy of Sciences (1983)
• Lee Howley, Sr. Award for Arthritis Research (shared with J.A. Hardin and M.R. Lerner),
  Lee Howley, Sr. (1983)
• D.Sc. (Hon), University of Rochester School of Medicine
  University of Rochester (1984)
• National Medal of Science
  The National Science Foundation (1986)
• Member, Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering
  Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (1986)
• Radcliffe Graduate Society Medal for Distinguished Achievement
  Radcliffe Graduate Society (1987)
• Associate Member, European Molecular Biology Organization
  European Molecular Biology Organization (1987)
• Dickson Prize for Science
  Carnegie-Mellon University (1988)
• Fritz Lipmann Lecturer, American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
  American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (1989)
• D.Sc. (Hon), Mt. Sinai School of Medicine
  Mt. Sinai School of Medicine (1989)
• Warren Triennial Prize (co-recipient with T. R. Cech)
  Massachusetts General Hospital (1989)
• D. Sc. (Hon), Bates College
  Bates College (1990)
• Christopher Columbus Discovery Award in Biomedical Research
  Christopher Columbus Foundation (1992)
• Member of the American Philosophical Society
  American Philosophical Society (1992)
• D.Sc. (Hon), Trinity College
  Trinity College (1992)
• D.Sc. (Hon), Harvard University
  Harvard University (1992)
• The Eleventh Annual Keith Porter Lecturer on Cell Biology, American Society for Cell Biology
  American Society for Cell Biology (1992)
• Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology
  American Academy of Microbiology, (1992)
• Rebecca Rice Award for Distinguished Achievement, Antioch College Alumni Association
  Antioch College Alumni Association (1993)
• Weizmann Women and Science Award
  American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science (1994)
• Distinguished Service Award, Miami Bio/Technology Winter Symposium
  Miami Bio/Technology Winter Symposium (1996)
• City of Medicine Award, Durham, NC
  City of Durham (1996)
• Novartis-Drew Award in Biomedical Research
  Drew University (1999)
• L’Oréal Award for Women in Science with the support of UNESCO
  L’Oréal (2001)
• Thirty-First Annual Lewis S. Rosenstiel Award
  Rosenstiel Basic Medical Sciences Research Center (2002)
• D.Sc (Hon), Brandeis University
  Brandeis University (2002)
• Member Academia Europaea
  Academia Europaea (2002)
• Honorary Member, Japanese Biochemical Society
  Japanese Biochemical Society (2002)
• FASEB Excellence in Science Award
  Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (2003)
• D.Sc (Hon), Brown University
  Brown University (2003)
• D.Sc (Hon), Princeton University
  Princeton University (2003)
• D.Sc (Hon), Watson School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
  Watson School of Biological Sciences (2004)
• The Howard Taylor Ricketts Award, University of Chicago
  University of Chicago (2004)
• The Caledonian Research Foundation Prize Lectureship
  The Caledonian Research Foundation (2004)
• The Royal Society of Edinburgh, Edinburgh and Dundee, Scotland
  The Royal Society of Edinburgh (2004)
• The RNA Society Lifetime Achievement Award
  The RNA Society (2004)
• Doctor Honoris Causa, Paul Sabatier University, Toulouse, Fr
  Paul Sabatier University (2005)
• Honorary Member of Phi Beta Kappa, Yale Chapter
  Phi Beta Kappa (2005)
• Member, Institute of Medicine
  Institute of Medicine (2005)
• E.B.Wilson Medal, American Society for Cell Biology
  American Society for Cell Biology (2005)
• Rosalind E. Franklin Award for Women in Science, National Cancer Institute
  National Cancer Institute (2006)
• Gairdner Foundation International Award
  Gairdner Foundation (2006)
• Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research (shared with E. Blackburn)
  Albany Medical Center (2008)
• D.Sc (Hon), University of British Columbia
  University of British Columbia (2008)
• Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame
  Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame, (2008)
• New York Academy of Medicine Medal for Distinguished Contributions in Biomedical Science
  New York Academy of Medicine (2008)
• Honorary Fellow of The New York Academy of Medicine
  The New York Academy of Medicine (2009)
• Harden Jubilee Medal, British Biochemical Society
  British Biochemical Society (2009)
• D.Sc (Hon), Clarkson University
  Clarkson University (2009)
• D.Sc (Hon), Albany Medical College
  Albany Medical College (2010)
• The Robert J. and Claire Pasarow Foundation 23rd Annual Medical Research Award for Extraordinary Achievement in Cancer Research
  The Robert J. and Claire Pasarow Foundation (2011)
• D.Sc (Hon), Columbia University, 2011
  Columbia University (2011)

Professional Service

• Board of Scientific Counselors, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (1/1/2011)
• Chair, Scientific Advisory Committee, Rita Allen Foundation (1/1/2010)
• ASBMB Award Committee, ASBMB (1/1/2010)
• Associate Editor, Journal of Cell Biology (1/1/2010)
• Board of Managers, Jane Coffin Childs Fund (1/1/2010)
• Biology Visiting Committee, MIT (1/1/2009)
• Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research, National Selection Committee, Albany Medical Center (1/1/2009)
• Board Member, Rosalind E. Franklin Society (1/1/2009)
• External Advisory Committee, Gerstner Sloan-Kettering Cancer Biology Graduate Program (1/1/2009)
• Selection Committee, NAS Award in Molecular Biology (1/1/2009)
• Scientific Advisory Board, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki (1/1/2007)
• Member, Rockefeller University (1/1/2007)
• Jury Member, L’Oréal UNESCO International Prize (1/1/2007)
• Jury Member, Wiley Prize (1/1/2004)
• Selection Committee Member, Committee on Scientific Affairs (1/1/2002)
• Member(1/1/1994)
• Associate Editor(1/1/1994)