Joshua Lederberg
Joshua Lederberg ForMemRS | |
|---|---|
Lederberg in 1997 | |
| 5th President of Rockefeller University | |
| In office 1978–1990 | |
| Preceded by | Frederick Seitz |
| Succeeded by | David Baltimore |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 23, 1925 |
| Died | February 2, 2008 (aged 82) |
| Spouse(s) | Esther Miriam Zimmer (1946–1966; divorced) Marguerite Stein Kirsch (1968–2008; 1 child, 1 stepchild) |
| Education | Columbia University Yale University |
| Scientific career | |
| Known for | Neurospora crassa Bacterial conjugation Dendral Astrobiology Transduction |
| Awards | Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1958) National Medal of Science (1989) Presidential Medal of Freedom (2006) |
| Fields | Microbiologist |
| Thesis | Genetic recombination in Escherichia coli (1947) |
| Doctoral advisor | Edward Tatum |
| Doctoral students | Norton Zinder |
Joshua Lederberg ForMemRS (May 23, 1925 – February 2, 2008) was an American molecular biologist known for his work in microbial genetics, artificial intelligence, and the United States space program. He was 33 years old when he won the 1958 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discovering that bacteria can mate and exchange genes (bacterial conjugation). He shared the prize with Edward Tatum and George Beadle, who won for their work with genetics.
In addition to his contributions to biology, Lederberg did extensive research in artificial intelligence. This included work in the NASA experimental programs seeking life on Mars and the chemistry expert system Dendral.