Thomas A. Steitz

Date of Birth: August 23, 1940

Zodiac Sign: Virgo

Date of Death: October 9, 2018

Biography

Thomas A. Steitz was an eminent American biochemist and a Sterling Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale University. He was a co-recipient of the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, along with Venkatraman Ramakrishnan and Ada Yonath, for his pioneering work on the structure and function of the ribosome. Steitz’s research provided significant insights into the molecular machinery of life, greatly impacting the field of structural biology. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Steitz earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry from Lawrence University in 1962. He then pursued his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at Harvard University, graduating in 1966 under the mentorship of Professor William Lipscomb. His groundbreaking research began during his postdoctoral work at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, England, where he focused on the structure of proteins. Steitz joined the faculty of Yale University in 1970, where he conducted much of his Nobel-winning research. His work utilized X-ray crystallography to reveal the atomic structure of the ribosome, a complex molecular machine responsible for protein synthesis in all living cells. This discovery illuminated the mechanics of how genetic information is translated into proteins, paving the way for advancements in antibiotics and other medical therapies. Steitz was married to Joan Argetsinger Steitz, a distinguished molecular biologist at Yale University, and they had one son, Jon Steitz. Throughout his career, Thomas Steitz received numerous awards and honors, including election to the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

5 Interesting Facts about Thomas A. Steitz

1. Thomas Steitz’s Nobel Prize-winning work involved the use of X-ray crystallography to determine the structure of the ribosome.

2. He was a member of the Royal Society of London and was awarded the Royal Society’s prestigious Gregori Aminoff Prize in Crystallography in 2007.

3. Steitz co-founded the company Rib-X Pharmaceuticals, which focuses on developing new antibiotics.

4. He was a passionate advocate for science education and frequently lectured on the importance of scientific research in modern medicine.

5. Steitz’s doctoral advisor, William Lipscomb, was also a Nobel laureate in Chemistry, having won the prize in 1976.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Thomas A. Steitz

1. “The ribosome is a machine that makes the machine.”

2. “Understanding the structure of the ribosome has been like opening a black box.”

3. “The beauty of the ribosome is that it is both a chemical and a mechanical device.”

4. “We are now in an era where we can visualize the molecular basis of life.”

5. “Science is not just a collection of facts; it’s a process of discovery.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Thomas Steitz’s highest net worth is not publicly documented, but as a Nobel Prize laureate and a co-founder of Rib-X Pharmaceuticals, his contributions to science and biotechnology were invaluable.