Biomimetic Chemistry

BIOGRAPHY

ACADEMIC POSITION:
Professor, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University

EDUCATION:
• Princeton University, AB in Molecular Biology, summa cum laude, June 1989
• Harvard University, MA in Biology, November 1991
• Harvard University, PhD in Biology from the Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology, June 1993. Topic of doctoral dissertation: 'RNA editing and the evolution of mitochondrial DNA in kinetoplastid protozoa'. (Graduate advisors: Walter Gilbert and Richard Lewontin)

MEMBERSHIPS/AWARDS:
• The New York Academy of Sciences 2008 Blavatnik Award for Young Scientists
• Elected Councilor, Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution, 2007-2009
• Elected Fellow of AAAS in Biological Sciences, 2005 'for probing the diversity of genetic systems in microbial eukaryotes, including scrambled genes, RNA editing, variant genetic codes, and comparative genomics in protists'
• Nominated for a Graduate Mentoring Award, 2005, 2006
• Tulip Prize for DNA Computing, 2001
• NSF CAREER Award in Computational Biology, 1999
• Sigma Xi’s first Young Investigator Award in the life and social sciences, 1999
• Elected to Santa Fe Institute Science Board, 1999-2004
• Santa Fe Institute Fellow-at-Large, 1999-2000
• Burroughs Wellcome Fund New Investigator Award in Molecular Parasitology, 1994
• Harvard University, William F Milton Fund Award, 1993
• Harvard University Society of Fellows, Junior Fellowship, 1992
• Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Merit Fellowship, 1992
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute predoctoral fellowship, 1990–1993
• National Science Foundation predoctoral fellowship, 1989–1990
• Sigma Xi Book Award (highest distinction) and membership in Sigma Xi, Molecular Biology, 1989
• Genetics Society of America research fellowship, 1988

RESEARCH INTERESTS:
Molecular evolution of genes, genomes, and the genetic code.