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Adrian Krainer (scientist)

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Adrian Krainer
Krainer in 2018
Born
Adrian Robert Krainer

Montevideo, Uruguay
Alma materColumbia University (BA)
Harvard University (PhD)
Known forRNA splicing
SpouseKate Krainer
Children3
Awards
Scientific career
InstitutionsCold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Stony Brook University
ThesisNuclear pre-mRNA splicing in vitro (1986)
Notable studentsEwan Birney
Websitewww.cshl.edu/research/faculty-staff/adrian-r-krainer

Adrian Robert Krainer is a Uruguayan-American biochemist and molecular geneticist[2] known for his research into RNA gene-splicing. He helped create a drug for patients with spinal muscular atrophy.[3] Krainer holds the St. Giles Foundation Professorship at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in Laurel Hollow, New York.

Early life and education

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Krainer was born in Montevideo, Uruguay to a Jewish family of Hungarian and Romanian descent. He has one older brother, who is a chemical engineer. His father did forced labor for two years in a Romanian labor camp (Ferma Alba) during World War II. After the war, his father's original surname, Kreiner changed to Krainer due to a clerical error when he was a refugee in Italy. His parents owned a small leather business in Montevideo. Krainer attended a private bilingual French-Spanish elementary school. He later attended a public school for two years before completing his pre-college education with four years at a private Spanish-Hebrew school. Krainer lived through political unrest during his teenage years, including urban guerrilla and military dictatorship. Krainer received a full scholarship from Columbia University and completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biochemistry in 1981.[4] He graduated cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. In 1986, he earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in biochemistry from Harvard University.[5]

Career and research

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From 1986 to 1989, Krainer conducted postdoctoral research as the first Cold Spring Harbor Fellow at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Krainer worked as an assistant professor from 1989 to 1990, Associate Professor from 1990 to 1994, and Professor since 1994. Krainer is a faculty member of the graduate programs in Genetics, Molecular and Cellular Biology, and Molecular Genetics and Microbiology at State University of New York, Stony Brook.[5] Krainer holds the St. Giles Foundation Professorship at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.[6] His former students include Ewan Birney.[7][8] Krainer is a co-founder and Director of Stoke Therapeutics, based in Bedford, MA.

Awards and honors

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In 2019 he was awarded a Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences for his contributions to the understanding of the RNA gene-splicing process and, in collaboration with fellow Prize Laureate Dr. Frank Bennet of Ionis Pharmaceuticals, the development of medical interventions that target the RNA-splicing process, including Spinraza, which is the first treatment for the genetic disorder Spinal Muscular Atrophy.[9][10] In 2021 Krainer received the Wolf Prize in Medicine.[11] In 2024 he was awarded the Albany Medical Center Prize jointly with Howard Y. Chang and Lynne E. Maquat.[12]

Other honors include:

  • Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences (1992–96);
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences MERIT Award (2012-2022);
  • New York Intellectual Property Law Association Inventor of the Year Award (2017);
  • FE Bennett Award of the American Neurological Association (2017);
  • RNA Society Lifetime Achievement Award (2019);
  • Ross Prize in Molecular Medicine (2020);
  • Gregor Johann Mendel Medal for Outstanding Achievements in Science (2020), Brno, Czech Republic;
  • Fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences (2016);
  • Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (2018);
  • Member of the National Academy of Medicine (2019);
  • Member of the National Academy of Sciences (2020)[1]

Personal life

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Krainer's father and maternal grandparents were Holocaust refugees.[9] He has three children, Emily, Andrew, and Brian.[9][5] His wife, Kate Krainer, is a plant geneticist.[13][14]

References

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  1. ^ a b "2020 NAS Election". nasonline.org. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  2. ^ Adrian Krainer publications from Europe PubMed Central
  3. ^ Adrian Krainer, Václav Hradilek, Boženka Hradilková - Hyde Park Civilizace | Česká televize (in Czech), retrieved August 10, 2023
  4. ^ "AitN: November 12, 2018". Columbia College Today. November 12, 2018. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c Maestrejuan, Andrea R. (September 9, 1997). "ADRIAN R. KRAINER" (PDF). sciencehistory.org. Chemical Heritage Foundation. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  6. ^ "Adrian R. Krainer - Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory". cshl.edu. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  7. ^ Al-Khalili, Jim (2013). "The Life Scientific, Ewan Birney". bbc.co.uk. BBC.
  8. ^ Birney, E.; Kumar, S.; Krainer, A. (1992). "A putative homolog of U2AF65 in S. Cerevisiae". Nucleic Acids Research. 20 (17): 4663. doi:10.1093/nar/20.17.4663. PMC 334203. PMID 1408772.
  9. ^ a b c "Breakthrough Prize – Life Sciences Breakthrough Prize Laureates – Adrian R. Krainer". breakthroughprize.org. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  10. ^ "Breakthrough Prize – Life Sciences Breakthrough Prize Laureates – C. Frank Bennett". breakthroughprize.org. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  11. ^ Wolf Prize in Medicine 2021
  12. ^ Albany Medical Center Prize 2024
  13. ^ s.r.o, Via Aurea. "Adrian Krainer, the Scientist Who Brought Hope to Thousands of Children, Shared his Experience With Students". ceitec.eu. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  14. ^ s.r.o, Via Aurea. "Life after PhD with Adrian and Kate Krainer". ceitec.eu. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
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