Utpal Banerjee
Encyclopedia
Utpal Banerjee is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Molecular
, Cell
and Developmental Biology
at UCLA. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from St. Stephen's College
, Delhi University, India and obtained his Master of Science degree in Physical Chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India. In 1984, he obtained a PhD in Chemistry from the California Institute of Technology
where he was also a Postdoctoral Fellow in the laboratory of Seymour Benzer
from 1984-1988.
Banerjee joined UCLA in 1988 as an Assistant Professor and attained the rank of Full Professor in 1994 in the Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology. He became Vice-Chair of that department in 1998, Chair in 2001, and the Irving and Jean Stone Endowed Chair in Life Science in 2009. He has a joint appointment in the Department of Biological Chemistry at the David Geffen School of Medicine and is also Co-Director of the UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center. Banerjee teaches courses in genetics that encourage undergraduates to participate in research and he is the Director of the UCLA Interdepartmental Minor in Biomedical Research. He has also taught many genetics and developmental biology classes to undergraduate and graduate students. He is among 20 professors nationally to be awarded a $1 million grant by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute
to creatively improve undergraduate science teaching.
Board of Directors (2010); Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
(2009); Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
(2008); President of the Drosophila Board, Genetics Society of America
(2008).
He was awarded the NIH Director's Pioneer Award, National Institutes of Health (2011); Professors Award, Howard Hughes Medical Institute
(2010, 2006, 2002); Elizabeth W. Jones Award for Excellence in Education, Genetics Society of America
(2010); Professor Mager Memorial Lecturer, University of Jerusalem, Israel (2004); Deans’ Recognition Award, UCLA (2003); Gold Shield Faculty Prize, UCLA (2000); One of the Top 20 Professors of the Bruin Century, UCLA Today (2000); Kalfayan Memorial Lecture, University of North Carolina
(1999); Margaret E. Early Medical Research Trust Award (1998); Harriet and Charles Luckman Distinguished Teaching Award, UCLA (1997); Eby Award for the Art of Teaching, UCLA (1997); Investigator Award, McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience (1996); Faculty Research Award, American Cancer Society
(1993); Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award, Department of Biology, UCLA (1992); Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
Award (1990–1992); McKnight Foundation Scholars Award (1989); Life Sciences Research Foundation Award Burroughs Wellcome Fund Fellow (1986–1988); Del E. Webb Postdoctoral Fellowship (1983–1986); Certificate of Merit, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (1977 1978); Sheshadri Memorial Award of the Delhi University (1977); National Paper Reading Prize (1976); National Science Talent Award (1974).
(Sos) gene that links RTKs to the oncogene Ras. His laboratory has also identified novel means by which different signal transduction cascades combine to distinguish between neural and non-neural cell types. They have also made critical discoveries in identifying transcription factors and signaling components that are responsible for hematopoiesis in Drosophila.
Results from Banerjee’s lab have shown that the “stemness” of these cells is maintained through the combined action of a Niche Signal, that is generated by Hedgehog (Hh), a local signal generated by Wingless/Wnt and a reverse signal from the differentiated cells to the stem cells. His team has termed this combined action the Equilibrium Signal. Several important concepts underlying Drosophila blood development have allowed them to propose this system as an appropriate genetic model for vertebrate hematopoiesis, and these molecular mechanisms are being explored in the laboratory.
Molecular biology
Molecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry...
, Cell
Cell biology
Cell biology is a scientific discipline that studies cells – their physiological properties, their structure, the organelles they contain, interactions with their environment, their life cycle, division and death. This is done both on a microscopic and molecular level...
and Developmental Biology
Developmental Biology
Developmental Biology is a peer-reviewedscientific journal. It was established in 1959 and is the official journal of the Society for Developmental Biology. It publishes research on the mechanisms of development, differentiation, and growth in animals and plants at the molecular, cellular, and...
at UCLA. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from St. Stephen's College
St. Stephen's College, Delhi
St. Stephen's College is a constituent college of the University of Delhi located in Delhi, India. The college admits both undergraduates and post-graduates, and awards degrees under the purview of the University. Famous for its rich history and many traditions, St...
, Delhi University, India and obtained his Master of Science degree in Physical Chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India. In 1984, he obtained a PhD in Chemistry from the California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
where he was also a Postdoctoral Fellow in the laboratory of Seymour Benzer
Seymour Benzer
Seymour Benzer was an American physicist, molecular biologist and behavioral geneticist. His career began during the molecular biology revolution of the 1950s, and he eventually rose to prominence in the fields of molecular and behavioral genetics. He led a productive genetics research lab both at...
from 1984-1988.
Banerjee joined UCLA in 1988 as an Assistant Professor and attained the rank of Full Professor in 1994 in the Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology. He became Vice-Chair of that department in 1998, Chair in 2001, and the Irving and Jean Stone Endowed Chair in Life Science in 2009. He has a joint appointment in the Department of Biological Chemistry at the David Geffen School of Medicine and is also Co-Director of the UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center. Banerjee teaches courses in genetics that encourage undergraduates to participate in research and he is the Director of the UCLA Interdepartmental Minor in Biomedical Research. He has also taught many genetics and developmental biology classes to undergraduate and graduate students. He is among 20 professors nationally to be awarded a $1 million grant by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Howard Hughes Medical Institute is a United States non-profit medical research organization based in Chevy Chase, Maryland. It was founded by the American businessman Howard Hughes in 1953. It is one of the largest private funding organizations for biological and medical research in the United...
to creatively improve undergraduate science teaching.
Honors and awards
Banerjee was elected Director, Genetics Society of AmericaGenetics Society of America
The Genetics Society of America is a scholarly membership society of more than 4000 genetics researchers and educators, established in 1931...
Board of Directors (2010); Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
(2009); Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
(2008); President of the Drosophila Board, Genetics Society of America
Genetics Society of America
The Genetics Society of America is a scholarly membership society of more than 4000 genetics researchers and educators, established in 1931...
(2008).
He was awarded the NIH Director's Pioneer Award, National Institutes of Health (2011); Professors Award, Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Howard Hughes Medical Institute is a United States non-profit medical research organization based in Chevy Chase, Maryland. It was founded by the American businessman Howard Hughes in 1953. It is one of the largest private funding organizations for biological and medical research in the United...
(2010, 2006, 2002); Elizabeth W. Jones Award for Excellence in Education, Genetics Society of America
Genetics Society of America
The Genetics Society of America is a scholarly membership society of more than 4000 genetics researchers and educators, established in 1931...
(2010); Professor Mager Memorial Lecturer, University of Jerusalem, Israel (2004); Deans’ Recognition Award, UCLA (2003); Gold Shield Faculty Prize, UCLA (2000); One of the Top 20 Professors of the Bruin Century, UCLA Today (2000); Kalfayan Memorial Lecture, University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
(1999); Margaret E. Early Medical Research Trust Award (1998); Harriet and Charles Luckman Distinguished Teaching Award, UCLA (1997); Eby Award for the Art of Teaching, UCLA (1997); Investigator Award, McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience (1996); Faculty Research Award, American Cancer Society
American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization" dedicated, in their own words, "to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and...
(1993); Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award, Department of Biology, UCLA (1992); Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is a philanthropic non-profit organization in the United States. It was established in 1934 by Alfred P. Sloan, Jr., then-President and Chief Executive Officer of General Motors.-Overview:...
Award (1990–1992); McKnight Foundation Scholars Award (1989); Life Sciences Research Foundation Award Burroughs Wellcome Fund Fellow (1986–1988); Del E. Webb Postdoctoral Fellowship (1983–1986); Certificate of Merit, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (1977 1978); Sheshadri Memorial Award of the Delhi University (1977); National Paper Reading Prize (1976); National Science Talent Award (1974).
Research
Earlier work from Banerjee’s laboratory identified the Son of sevenlessSon of Sevenless
In cell signalling, Son of Sevenless refers to a set of genes encoding guanine nucleotide exchange factors that act on the Ras subfamily of small GTPases.-History and name:...
(Sos) gene that links RTKs to the oncogene Ras. His laboratory has also identified novel means by which different signal transduction cascades combine to distinguish between neural and non-neural cell types. They have also made critical discoveries in identifying transcription factors and signaling components that are responsible for hematopoiesis in Drosophila.
Blood Stem Cell Maintenance
Banerjee’s research focuses on the maintenance of blood stem cells, specifically hematopoietic stem cells that are maintained within a microenvironment where signals from a niche are important for the maintenance of quiescence within a precursor population. Lack of such a niche-derived signal will cause loss of “stemness,” resulting in increased proliferation and eventual differentiation. His research examines this phenomenon in the Drosophila hematopoietic organ using genetic technologies available in this model organism.Results from Banerjee’s lab have shown that the “stemness” of these cells is maintained through the combined action of a Niche Signal, that is generated by Hedgehog (Hh), a local signal generated by Wingless/Wnt and a reverse signal from the differentiated cells to the stem cells. His team has termed this combined action the Equilibrium Signal. Several important concepts underlying Drosophila blood development have allowed them to propose this system as an appropriate genetic model for vertebrate hematopoiesis, and these molecular mechanisms are being explored in the laboratory.