Carol W. Greider

Carol W. Greider (born April 15, 1961) is an American molecular biologist renowned for her discovery of telomerase, an enzyme that replenishes the telomeres at the ends of chromosomes, which are crucial for the longevity and stability of cells. Her groundbreaking work, conducted alongside Elizabeth Blackburn, has had profound implications for our understanding of aging, cancer, and other diseases linked to genetic stability.

Early Life and Education

Carolyn Widney Greider was born in San Diego, California. She developed an interest in biology at a young age, inspired by her father, a physics professor. Greider pursued her undergraduate degree at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she majored in biology. She then went on to earn her Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of California, Berkeley, where she worked in the laboratory of Elizabeth Blackburn. It was during her graduate studies that Greider co-discovered telomerase in 1984, a finding that would later earn her a share of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2009.

Career and Research

After completing her Ph.D., Greider continued her research on telomerase and telomeres at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York. In 1997, she moved to the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine where she served as the Daniel Nathans Professor and Director of Molecular Biology and Genetics. In 2020, Greider joined the faculty of the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Greider's research has been pivotal in elucidating the role of telomerase and telomeres in cell aging and the maintenance of chromosomal integrity. Her work has shown that telomeres shorten with each cell division, and without the action of telomerase, cells age and eventually die. This mechanism has significant implications for understanding the aging process and the development of cancer, as cancer cells often reactivate telomerase to become immortal.

Awards and Honors

Carol W. Greider has received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to science, including the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2009, which she shared with Elizabeth Blackburn and Jack W. Szostak for their discovery of how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase. Other notable awards include the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research in 2006 and election to the National Academy of Sciences.

Impact and Legacy

Greider's discovery of telomerase has opened new avenues in the study of aging and cancer, providing potential targets for new therapies. Her work has also raised important ethical and philosophical questions about the implications of extending human lifespan. Beyond her scientific achievements, Greider has been a vocal advocate for women in science and has worked to promote diversity and inclusion within the scientific community.

Selected Publications

• Greider, C.W., & Blackburn, E.H. (1985). Identification of a specific telomere terminal transferase activity in Tetrahymena extracts. Cell, 43(2), 405-413.
• Greider, C.W. (1996). Telomerase is processive. Molecular and Cellular Biology, 16(9), 2932-2939.

See Also

• Elizabeth Blackburn
• Telomere
• Telomerase
• Molecular biology
• Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine