Shirley M. Tilghman

Shirley Tilghman 2

Canadian-American molecular biologist and university administrator

Shirley M. Tilghman

Birth name	Shirley Marie Tilghman
Born	Birth date -1st March 1966
Birth place	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Nationality	Canadian-American
Known for	Genomic imprinting
Awards	Lasker Award National Medal of Science

Shirley Marie Tilghman (born September 17, 1946) is a Canadian-American molecular biologist and an emeritus professor of molecular biology and public policy at Princeton University. She served as the 19th president of Princeton University from 2001 to 2013, becoming the first woman to hold the position.

Early Life and Education

Tilghman was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She completed her undergraduate studies at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry. She then pursued her doctoral studies at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she received her Ph.D. in biochemistry under the supervision of Richard W. Hanson.

Career

After completing her Ph.D., Tilghman conducted postdoctoral research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the laboratory of Philip Leder. She later joined the faculty at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) before moving to Princeton University in 1986.

At Princeton, Tilghman was a founding member of the Department of Molecular Biology and played a significant role in the development of the university's genomics program. Her research focused on genomic imprinting, a process by which certain genes are expressed in a parent-of-origin-specific manner.

Presidency of Princeton University

In 2001, Tilghman was appointed as the 19th president of Princeton University, making her the first woman to hold the position. During her tenure, she was known for her efforts to increase the diversity of the student body and faculty, as well as for her commitment to expanding the university's financial aid program. She also oversaw significant campus expansion and the establishment of new academic programs.

Tilghman stepped down as president in 2013 and returned to teaching and research at Princeton.

Awards and Honors

Tilghman has received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to science and education, including the Lasker Award and the National Medal of Science. She is a member of several prestigious organizations, including the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Personal Life

Tilghman is married and has two children. She holds dual citizenship in Canada and the United States.

See Also

• List of female scientists before the 21st century
• List of presidents of Princeton University
• Genomic imprinting