Marshall Nirenburg

Chief, Laboratory of Biochemical Genetics
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
National Institutes of Health
9000 Rockville Pike
Bldg. 36, Rm. 1C27
Bethesda, MD 20892
Phone:  (301)-496-2401
E-mail:  marshall@codon.nih.gov
Research:  Development of the nervous system.

Dr. Nirenberg and his coworkers deciphered the genetic code.  First, they determined the base compositions of RNA codons by directing cell free protein synthesis with randomly-ordered synthetic polyribonucleotides; then, they determined the nucleotide sequences of RNA codons by directing the binding of aminoacyl-tRNA to ribosomes with trinucleotides of known sequence.  They also showed that single-stranded RNA, but not double or triple-stranded RNA, is a template for protein synthesis.

Dr. Nirenberg then entered the field of neurobiology and established many clonal lines of mouse neuroblastoma cells.  He found that some cell lines synthesized catocholamines, whereas others synthesize acetylcholine.  Elevation of cellular cyclin AMP for a number of days shifted the cells from a relatively undifferentiated state to a differentiated state where many neural properties were expressed.  Five cell lines were found that form abundant synapses with cultured striated muscle cells.  A neuroblastoma-glioma somatic hybrid cell line was generated that expresses abundant opiate receptors, which was used as a model system to explore the mechanism of opiate dependence.  Dual regulation of adenynlate cyclase by morphine was shown to account for morphine dependence, tolerance and withdrawal.  The neuroblastoma and somatic hybrid cell lines that were established have been used as model systems to study many properties of neurons.

Dr. Nirenberg and his colleagues discovered and characterized Drosophila and mouse homeobox genes.  He has focused on one of the Drosophila homeobox genes, vnd-NK-2, which initiates the neural pathway of development in the ventral portion of the neuroectoderm and gives rise to part of the ventral nerve cord.  Current studies focus on determining how a pattern of neuroblasts that express the vnd-NK-2 gene is formed in the central nervous system.

Societies:

American Society of Biological Chemistry
American Chemical Society
American Neurochemistry Society
Biophysical Society
American Association for the Advancement of Science
European Academy of Sciences and Arts
Harvey Society
Society for Neuroscience
The Society for Developmental Biology
Washington Academy of Sciences
Federation of American Scientists, Sponsor
International Society for Neuroimmunomodulation, Board of Scientific Advisors

Honors:

National Academy of Sciences, USA
National Academy of Medicine, USA
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Neurological Association
Leopoldina Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher
Pontifical Academy of Sciences, the Vatican
European Academy of Sciences and Arts
Molecular Biology Award, National Academy of Sciences, 1962
Award in the Biological Sciences, Washington Academy of Sciences, 1962
Modern Medicine Award, 1963
Paul Lewis Award in Enzyme Chemistry, American Chemical Society, 1964
Award from the Department of Health, Education, Welfare, 1964
Harrison Howe Award, Rochester Branch of the American Chemical Society, 1964
National Medal of Science, President of the United States, 1965
Doctor of Science, Honorary, University of Michigan, 1965
Doctor of Science, Honorary, Yale University, 1965
Doctor of Science, Honorary, University of Chicago, 1965
John Young Award, Orlando, Florida, 1965
Hildebrand Award, American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C., 1966
Doctor of Science, Honorary, University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada, 1966
Research Corporation Award, 1966
Doctor of Science, Honorary, University of Pennsylvania, 1967
American College of Physicians Award, 1967
Robbins Lecturer, Pomona College, Claremont, California, 1967
Gairdner Foundation Award, Toronto, Canada, 1967
Prix Charles Leopold Meyer, French Academy of Sciences, 1967
Joseph Priestly Award, Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, 1968
Doctor of Science, Honorary, Harvard University, 1968
Franklin Medal, University of Pennsyvlania, 1968
Distinguished Service Medal, U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, 1968
Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize, Columbia University, 1968
Lasker Award, 1968
Medal, President of the United States, 1968
Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology for Deciphering the Genetic Code (Shared with
    Gobind Khorana and Robert Holley), 1968
Doctor of Science, Honorary, University of Florida, 1969
Doctor of Science, Honorary, George Washington University, 1972
Doctor of Science, Honorary, University of Pavia, Italy, 1973
City of Peace Award, 1975
Doctor of Science, Honorary, Weizmann Institute, Israel, 1978
George Cotzias Memorial Award Lecture, American Society of Neurology, Toronto, Canada, 1981
A. Ross McIntyre Award, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska, 1983
Doctor of Science, Honorary, State University of New York at Albany, 1986
Doctor of Science, Honorary, West Virginia State College, 1991
Doctor of Science, Honorary, Union University, Albany College of Pharmacy, Albany, NY 1996

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