Maxwell E. Gottesman

Molecular biologist and teacher at the frontiers of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic research, participating at a national and international level. Conceptualized that site-specific DNA recombination involves a protein and DNA micro homologous targets-leading to the first in vitro demonstration of site-specific prophage lambda excision.  Pioneering lambda transcription regulation at the level of transcription elongation/termination. Showed that transcription termination is suppressed by translation, discovered new termination factors, and uncovered the mechanism that couples transcription to translation. Made discoveries that have implications in evolution and pathogenesis that now appear in text books. Working on eukaryotic gene regulation and recombination in mammalian cells, yeast and Xenopus.Defined the role of cAMP-dependent protein kinase in cell cycle and how single-stranded DNA breaks lead to cell-cycle arrest. Recipient, honorary doctorates from academies in France and China, and other prestigious fellowships and awards.