Walter Jakob Gehring
Encyclopedia
Walter Jakob Gehring is Professor at the Biozentrum of the University of Basel
, Switzerland
. He obtained his Ph.D. at the University of Zurich in 1965 and after two years as a research assistant of Professor Ernst Hadorn he joined Professor Alan Garen's group at Yale University
in New Haven as a postdoctoral fellow.
In 1969 he was appointed as an associate professor at the Yale Medical School and 1972 he returned to Switzerland to become a professor of developmental biology
and genetics
at the Biozentrum of the University of Basel. He was Secretary General of the European Molecular Biology Organization
, President of the International Society for Developmental Biologists, a Foreign Member of the National Academy of the USA, Great Britain, France, Germany and Sweden. In 1997 he was awarded the March of Dimes Prize in Developmental Biology
. In 2000 he received the Kyoto Prize
for Basic Science. In 2002 he received the Balzan Prize
for Developmental Biology.
Walter Gehring has mainly been involved in studies of Drosophila
genetics and development, particularly in the analysis of cell determination in the embryo
and transdetermination of imaginal disc
s. He has made significant contributions to the study of the heat shock gene
s, various transposon
s and the homeotic gene
s which are involved in the genetic control of development.
In 1983 he and his group discovered the homeobox
, a DNA segment characteristic for homeotic genes which is not only present in arthropod
s and their ancestors, but also in vertebrate
s including man. He has been involved in the development and application of enhancer
trapping methods. He and his collaborators have identified PAX6
as a master control gene for eye development, which led to a new theory about the monophyletic origin of the eyes in evolution.
University of Basel
The University of Basel is located in Basel, Switzerland, and is considered to be one of leading universities in the country...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. He obtained his Ph.D. at the University of Zurich in 1965 and after two years as a research assistant of Professor Ernst Hadorn he joined Professor Alan Garen's group at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in New Haven as a postdoctoral fellow.
In 1969 he was appointed as an associate professor at the Yale Medical School and 1972 he returned to Switzerland to become a professor of developmental biology
Developmental biology
Developmental biology is the study of the process by which organisms grow and develop. Modern developmental biology studies the genetic control of cell growth, differentiation and "morphogenesis", which is the process that gives rise to tissues, organs and anatomy.- Related fields of study...
and genetics
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
at the Biozentrum of the University of Basel. He was Secretary General of the European Molecular Biology Organization
European Molecular Biology Organization
EMBO stands for excellence in the life sciences. The EMBO mission is to enable the best science by supporting talented researchers, stimulating scientific exchange and advancing policies for a world-class European research environment....
, President of the International Society for Developmental Biologists, a Foreign Member of the National Academy of the USA, Great Britain, France, Germany and Sweden. In 1997 he was awarded the March of Dimes Prize in Developmental Biology
March of Dimes Prize in Developmental Biology
The March of Dimes Prize in Developmental Biology is awarded once a year by the March of Dimes. It carries a $250,000 award "to an investigator whose research brings us closer to the day when all babies will be born healthy." It also includes a medal in the shape of a Roosevelt dime.- Laureates...
. In 2000 he received the Kyoto Prize
Kyoto Prize
The has been awarded annually since 1985 by the Inamori Foundation, founded by Kazuo Inamori. The prize is a Japanese award similar in intent to the Nobel Prize, as it recognizes outstanding works in the fields of philosophy, arts, science and technology...
for Basic Science. In 2002 he received the Balzan Prize
Balzan Prize
The International Balzan Prize Foundation awards four annual monetary prizes to people or organisations who have made outstanding achievements in the fields of humanities, natural sciences, culture, as well as for endeavours for peace and the brotherhood of man.-Rewards and assets:Each year the...
for Developmental Biology.
Walter Gehring has mainly been involved in studies of Drosophila
Drosophila
Drosophila is a genus of small flies, belonging to the family Drosophilidae, whose members are often called "fruit flies" or more appropriately pomace flies, vinegar flies, or wine flies, a reference to the characteristic of many species to linger around overripe or rotting fruit...
genetics and development, particularly in the analysis of cell determination in the embryo
Embryo
An embryo is a multicellular diploid eukaryote in its earliest stage of development, from the time of first cell division until birth, hatching, or germination...
and transdetermination of imaginal disc
Imaginal disc
An imaginal disc is one of the parts of a holometabolous insect larva that will become a portion of the outside of the adult insect during the pupal transformation. Contained within the body of the larva, there are pairs of discs that will form, for instance, the wings or legs or antennae or other...
s. He has made significant contributions to the study of the heat shock gene
Heat shock protein
Heat shock proteins are a class of functionally related proteins involved in the folding and unfolding of other proteins. Their expression is increased when cells are exposed to elevated temperatures or other stress. This increase in expression is transcriptionally regulated...
s, various transposon
Transposon
Transposable elements are sequences of DNA that can move or transpose themselves to new positions within the genome of a single cell. The mechanism of transposition can be either "copy and paste" or "cut and paste". Transposition can create phenotypically significant mutations and alter the cell's...
s and the homeotic gene
Homeotic gene
Hox genes are a group of related genes that determine the basic structure and orientation of an organism.Hox genes are critical for the proper placement of segment structures of animals during early embryonic development Hox genes are a group of related genes that determine the basic structure and...
s which are involved in the genetic control of development.
In 1983 he and his group discovered the homeobox
Homeobox
A homeobox is a DNA sequence found within genes that are involved in the regulation of patterns of anatomical development in animals, fungi and plants.- Discovery :...
, a DNA segment characteristic for homeotic genes which is not only present in arthropod
Arthropod
An arthropod is an invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton , a segmented body, and jointed appendages. Arthropods are members of the phylum Arthropoda , and include the insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and others...
s and their ancestors, but also in vertebrate
Vertebrate
Vertebrates are animals that are members of the subphylum Vertebrata . Vertebrates are the largest group of chordates, with currently about 58,000 species described. Vertebrates include the jawless fishes, bony fishes, sharks and rays, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds...
s including man. He has been involved in the development and application of enhancer
Enhancer (genetics)
In genetics, an enhancer is a short region of DNA that can be bound with proteins to enhance transcription levels of genes in a gene cluster...
trapping methods. He and his collaborators have identified PAX6
PAX6
Paired box protein Pax-6 also known as aniridia type II protein or oculorhombin is a protein that in humans is encoded by the PAX6 gene.- Function :PAX6 is a member of the Pax gene family...
as a master control gene for eye development, which led to a new theory about the monophyletic origin of the eyes in evolution.
Further reading
- Niklaus Walter: From Transdetermination to the Homeodomain at Atomic Resolution: An interview with Walter J. Gehring, Int. J. Dev. Biol. 46: 29-37 (2002)