University Times

Robert G. Roeder, a pioneer in the discovery and characterization of the fundamental molecular mechanisms of gene transcription, received the 2001 Dickson Prize in Medicine yesterday, Sept. 12, in conjunction with his presentation, "Regulation of Transcription in Human Cells: Complexities and Challenges."

Roeder's lecture was part of Science2001 — A Research Odyssey, the Sept. 12-14 showcase of research at Pitt.

The Dickson Prize in Medicine recognizes individuals who have made significant, progressive contributions to the field of medicine. It was stablished in 1969 by the estate of Joseph Z. Dickson and Agnes Fischer Dickson.

Roeder is recognized for the discovery and analysis of proteins involved in transcription, the first step in decoding stored genetic information. He began the functional characterization of the three eukaryotic RNA polymerases, enabling the identification of molecular mechanisms that control the expression of families of genes in response to virus infection, cellular signaling and differentiation.

Holding a doctorate from the University of Washington, Seattle, Roeder is a professor and head of the Laboratory of Biochemical and Molecular Biology at Rockefeller University in New York. At the laboratory, he and his team study the structure and function of mammalian RNA polymerases and the genes and proteins that regulate their function.

Roeder is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a recipient of many awards.