Philip Leder

Philip Leder
Philip Leder
Born	November 19, 1934 Washington, D.C.
Nationality	American
Fields	genetics
Alma mater	Harvard University
Known for	Nirenberg and Leder experiment genetic code
Notable awards	Lasker Award Harvey Prize National Medal of Science

Philip Leder (b. November 19, 1934) is an American geneticist. He was born in Washington, D.C. and studied at Harvard University, graduating in 1956. In 1960, he graduated from Harvard Medical School.

He is known for his early work with Marshall Nirenberg in the elucidation of the genetic code and the Nirenberg and Leder experiment. Since that landmark experiment, he has made many seminal contributions in the fields of molecular genetics, immunology and the genetic basis of cancer. In 1988, Leder and Timothy Stewart were granted the first patent on a genetically engineered animal. This animal, a mouse which had genes injected into its embryo to increase susceptibility to cancer, became known as the "oncomouse" and has been used in the laboratory study of cancer therapy.
Leder was the founding Chairman of the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School.

Awards

Dr. Leder is a recipient of the Lasker Award, the National Medal of Science and the Harvey Prize.

References

• "The AAMC Award for Distinguished Research in the Biomedical Sciences. Philip Leder, M.D". Journal of medical education (UNITED STATES) 59 (2): 105–6. February 1984. ISSN 0022-2577. PMID 6363701. 

External links

• Biographical information from the Lasker Foundation
• Biographical information from the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center
• Links to digital facsimiles Dr. Leder's 'Codon notebooks' documenting the Nirenberg and Leder experiment can be found in Hollis, the Harvard University's library catalog
• Professor Leder's listing in Research Matters
• Esquire Magazine