Thomas R. Cech

Thomas R. Cech is an American chemist and biochemist whose groundbreaking discovery of ribozymes fundamentally altered the understanding of RNA's role in biochemical processes. His research demonstrated that RNA could function as a biological catalyst, a finding that earned him the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1989, which he shared with Sidney Altman. Cech has held prominent leadership roles in science, including the presidency of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and director of the BioFrontiers Institute at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Early life and education

Thomas Robert Cech was born in Chicago and grew up in Iowa City, where his early interest in science was nurtured. He completed his undergraduate studies in Chemistry at Grinnell College, graduating in 1970. Cech then pursued his doctoral degree at the University of California, Berkeley, working under the guidance of John C. Sheehan on the synthesis of tRNA molecules. Following his Ph.D., he conducted postdoctoral research in the laboratory of Mary Lou Pardue at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, focusing on the chromatin structure of ribosomal DNA in *Xenopus* oocytes.

Research and career

Cech began his independent career in 1978 as a professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, with a joint appointment in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the University of Colorado School of Medicine. His laboratory's investigation into the splicing of ribosomal RNA in the *Tetrahymena* protozoan led to the seminal 1982 discovery of self-splicing RNA, proving it possessed intrinsic catalytic activity; these RNA enzymes were subsequently named ribozymes. This work provided critical evidence for the RNA world hypothesis, a concept concerning the origins of life on Earth. Later, his group made significant contributions to the study of telomeres and the enzyme telomerase, exploring its role in cellular aging and oncogenesis. From 2000 to 2009, Cech served as president of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Chevy Chase, Maryland, overseeing its major biomedical research programs. He returned to Colorado to lead the BioFrontiers Institute, an interdisciplinary research center.

Awards and honors

Cech's discovery of ribozymes was recognized with numerous prestigious awards. He received the 1988 Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research and, most notably, the 1989 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, which he shared with Sidney Altman. In 1995, he was awarded the National Medal of Science by President Bill Clinton. He is a member of several esteemed academies, including the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Institute of Medicine. Other significant honors include the Heineken Prize, the Gairdner Award, and the Lasker Award.

Personal life

Cech is married to Carol Lynn Martinson, a fellow graduate of Grinnell College. The couple has two children and resides in Boulder, Colorado. An avid outdoorsman, he enjoys rock climbing and hiking in the Colorado Rockies. He has been an advocate for science education and public policy, frequently speaking on the importance of federal funding for basic scientific research through agencies like the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.

Selected publications

* Cech, T.R. (1985). "Self-splicing RNA: Implications for evolution." *Int. Rev. Cytol.* 93: 3–22. * Cech, T.R. (1987). "The chemistry of self-splicing RNA and RNA enzymes." *Science* 236: 1532–1539. * Greider, C.W. & Blackburn, E.H. (1985). "Identification of a specific telomere terminal transferase activity in *Tetrahymena* extracts." *Cell* 43: 405–413. (Cech's lab contributed to related foundational work on telomerase). * Cech, T.R. (2000). "The ribosome is a ribozyme." *Science* 289: 878–879. * Cech, T.R. (2004). "RNA finds a simpler way." *Nature* 428: 263–264.

Category:American biochemists Category:Nobel laureates in Chemistry Category:University of Colorado Boulder faculty Category:Howard Hughes Medical Institute