Jonathan Rothberg, PhD
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About
Titles
Professor (Adjunct) of Research of Genetics
Biography
Dr. Jonathan Rothberg is best known for inventing high-speed, “Next-Gen” DNA sequencing. He founded 454 Life Sciences, bringing to market the first new method for sequencing genomes since Sanger and Gilbert won the Nobel Prize in 1980. Dr. Rothberg sequenced the first individual human genome (The Watson Genome, Nature), and initiated the Neanderthal Genome Project with Svante Paabo. Under his leadership, 454 helped understand the mystery behind the disappearance of the honey bee, uncovered a new virus killing transplant patients, and elucidated the extent of human variation—work recognized by Science magazine as the breakthrough of the year for 2007. The New England Journal described Dr. Rothberg’s innovation as "The New Age of Molecular Diagnostics", Science magazine called it one of the top 10 breakthroughs for 2008. His contributions; cloning by limited dilution, and massively parallel DNA sequencing, are the basis of all subsequent high-speed sequencing methods.
Dr. Rothberg went on to invent semiconductor chip-based sequencing, and sequenced Gordon Moore (Moore’s law) as the first individual to be sequenced on a semiconductor chip (Nature). In 2010, Ion Torrent was acquired by Life Technologies for $725 million, the largest acquisition of its kind. In addition to founding 454 Life Sciences and Ion Torrent, Dr. Rothberg Founded CuraGen Corporation, Clarifi, RainDance Technologies, Lam Therapeutics, Quantum-Si, Hyperfine Research and Butterfly Network.
Dr. Rothberg was born in 1963 in New Haven, Connecticut. He earned a B.S. in chemical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and an M.S., M.Phil, and Ph.D. in biology from Yale University. He is the first person to be named a World Economic Forum's Technology Pioneer four separate times, is an Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year and received The Wall Street Journal's First Gold Medal for Innovation. He received Nature Methods First Method of the Year Award, The Irvington Institute's Corporate Leadership Award in Science, the Connecticut Medal of Technology, the DGKL Biochemical Analysis Prize, and an Honorary Doctorate of Science from Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Jonathan is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering, and is a life trustee of Carnegie Mellon University.
Appointments
Genetics
Professor Adjunct of ResearchPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Genetics
Education & Training
- PhD
- Yale University, Biology (1991)
Research
Links & Media
Media
First Personal Genome - Jim Watson
First of the rest of us, first individual genome. First genome on next ten sequencing, first of the rest of us. Published in Nature, but on the web a year earlier - took us a year to convince the editors that it was ethical to publish a persons genome (Thanks to Amy Lyne McGuire for the commentary and response to reviewers).Sequencing on a Semiconductor Chip
First non light sequence, first published in Nature. Demonstrated low cost, scalable Genome sequencing on a semiconductor chip. Led to $1,000 Genome.M.C. Escher - built this molecular.
Inspiration for project LOOKING for students now to do on evolving self-replicating molecular machines.Protein Interaction Map of Drosophila
First proteinic network map of a metozoanGlobal yeast Proteomics
First comprehensive interaction map of an eukaryotic cell.Genome of Neanderthal
Initiated Neanderthal Genome project with Svante Paabo, demonstrated the power of next-generation sequencing, we were first to decode ancient DNA on the genome scale
News
- March 24, 2021
Donors step up to help YSM respond to COVID-19 needs
- July 01, 2019
The New Machinery of Medicine: How Gene Sequencing and High-Performance Computing Are Revolutionizing Care
- April 02, 2018Source: Medicine@Yale
Slayman professorship is established
- March 23, 2018
Slayman professorship is established