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David Baltimore

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David Baltimore

David Baltimore (March 7, 1938 – September 6, 2025) was an American biologist, university administrator, and 1975 Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine. He was a professor of biology at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), where he served as president from 1997 to 2006. He founded the Whitehead Institute and directed it from 1982 to 1990. In 2008, he served as president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. At age 37, Baltimore won the Nobel Prize with Renato Dulbecco and Howard M. Temin "for their discoveries concerning the interaction between tumour viruses and the genetic material of the cell", specifically the discovery of the enzyme reverse transcriptase. He contributed to immunology, virology, cancer research, biotechnology, and recombinant DNA research. He also trained many doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows, several of whom have gone on to notable and distinguished research careers. In addition to the Nobel Prize, he received a number of other awards, including the U.S. National Medal of Science in 1999 and the Lasker Award in 2021.

Infobox

Preceded by
Joshua Lederberg
Succeeded by
Torsten Wiesel
Born
(1938-03-07)March 7, 1938New York City, U.S.
Died
September 6, 2025(2025-09-06) (aged 87)Woods Hole, Massachusetts, U.S.
Spouse
mw- Alice S. Huang (m. 1968)
Children
1
Education
mw- Swarthmore College (BA)Rockefeller University (PhD)
Website
www.bbe.caltech.edu/content/david-baltimore
Known for
Reverse transcriptase Baltimore classification
Awards
NAS Award in Molecular Biology (1974) Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1975) Sir Hans Krebs Medal (1997) National Medal of Science (1999) Lasker Award (2021)
Fields
Cell biology, microbiology
Institutions
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Rockefeller University California Institute of Technology
Thesis
The diversion of macromolecular synthesis in L-cells towards ends dictated by mengovirus (1964)
Doctoral advisor
Richard Franklin
Doctoral students
Sara CherryHoward Y. Chang

Tables

· External links
Preceded byJoshua Lederberg
Preceded byJoshua Lederberg
Academic offices
Preceded byJoshua Lederberg
Academic offices
6th President of Rockefeller University 1990–1991
Academic offices
Succeeded byTorsten Wiesel
Preceded byThomas Eugene Everhart
Preceded byThomas Eugene Everhart
Academic offices
Preceded byThomas Eugene Everhart
Academic offices
6th President of the California Institute of Technology 1997–2005
Academic offices
Succeeded byJean-Lou Chameau
Academic offices
Preceded byJoshua Lederberg
6th President of Rockefeller University 1990–1991
Succeeded byTorsten Wiesel
Preceded byThomas Eugene Everhart
6th President of the California Institute of Technology 1997–2005
Succeeded byJean-Lou Chameau

References

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