Maria Jasin

Maria Jasin is a prominent American geneticist known for her pioneering work in the field of DNA repair. She is particularly recognized for her research on homologous recombination and its role in maintaining genomic stability. Jasin's contributions have significantly advanced the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying genetic recombination and genome editing.

Early Life and Education

Maria Jasin was born in New York City. She developed an early interest in biology and pursued her undergraduate studies at Harvard University, where she earned a B.A. in biochemistry. She then went on to complete her Ph.D. in molecular biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where she worked under the mentorship of David Baltimore, a Nobel laureate in physiology or medicine.

Career and Research

After completing her doctoral studies, Jasin joined the faculty at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York City. At MSKCC, she established her own laboratory and began her groundbreaking research on DNA repair mechanisms. Her work has focused on understanding how cells repair double-strand breaks in DNA through homologous recombination, a process that is crucial for preventing mutations and cancer.

One of Jasin's most notable achievements is the development of a method to introduce double-strand breaks at specific sites in the genome using site-specific nucleases. This technique has been instrumental in advancing the field of genome editing and has paved the way for the development of CRISPR-Cas9 technology.

Awards and Honors

Maria Jasin has received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to genetics and molecular biology. Some of her notable accolades include:

• The National Academy of Sciences membership
• The American Academy of Arts and Sciences fellowship
• The Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research

Personal Life

Jasin is married and has two children. She continues to be actively involved in research and mentoring young scientists. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking and reading.

See Also

• DNA repair
• Homologous recombination
• Genome editing
• CRISPR-Cas9
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center