Bruce Stillman, left, President of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, and Tom Maniatis (photo by Gina Motisi)
Tom Maniatis has been awarded an honorary degree from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. The Thomas H. Lee Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology was recognized for a lifetime of achievement as an outstanding scholar and researcher.
Among many his accomplishments, Cold Spring Harbor noted, “Dr. Maniatis is best known for pioneering the development and application of recombinant DNA methods. These methods were disseminated worldwide through the publication of the book Molecular Cloning, co-authored by Dr. Maniatis …[and] published by the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press… [He] has played an important role in founding the biotechnology industry, serving as director and scientific advisor for companies that developed several FDA-approved drugs. These include treatments for hemophilia, anemia, bone disease and leukemia. These contributions were recognized with the Jacob Heskel Gabbay Award in Biotechnology and Medicine, shared with Drs. William Rutter and David Goeddel.”
Dr. Maniatis expressed great pleasure in the honor. “The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory has been at the center of my scientific life, from the phage meetings I attended as a graduate student, to the development of cDNA cloning methods as a member of the scientific staff, to teaching the Molecular Cloning Course in the summers of 1980 and 1981. The Molecular Cloning Manual, which was based on this course, was written at the lab with Ed Fritch and Joe Sambrook. This degree is a very special honor because of my life-long connection with Cold Spring Harbor.”
In addition to his outstanding research, Cold Spring Harbor cited Dr. Maniatis’s broader work in the scientific community: “Through his support of scientific education, Dr. Maniatis has promoted learning among scientists on every academic level. From textbooks to advanced courses, he has provided a mechanism for active scientists to remain abreast of new techniques and technology, qualities for which we honor him today.”
