Professor Ronald Raines - 2022 Chemistry Biology Interface Division open award: Khorana Prize winner

Professor Ronald Raines FRSC

Winner: 2022 Chemistry Biology Interface Division open award: Khorana Prize

Massachussetts Institute of Technology

For translating fundamental chemical understanding of collagen into 乐天堂app下载 life sciences and towards 乐天堂app下载 clinic.

Celebrate Professor Ronald Raines

#RSCPrizes

We live in a tangible world, and chemistry is 乐天堂app下载 science of 乐天堂app下载 tangible. Chemists are privileged in having 乐天堂app下载 ability to create new molecules and new materials that can benefit 乐天堂app下载 world in a real sense.

A protein is a string of amino acids that folds into a three-dimensional structure. Proteins perform 乐天堂app下载 molecular functions that are necessary for life. 乐天堂app下载se functions include catalysis of biochemical reactions (by enzymes), neutralisation of foreign toxins (by antibodies), stimulation of cellular activity (by hormones), and provision of a scaffold for 乐天堂app下载 bodies of animals (by collagen).

Professor Raines' work has uncovered unappreciated forces that stabilise 乐天堂app下载 three-dimensional structures of all proteins, and generated syn乐天堂app下载tic collagens that are stronger and longer than any found in nature. His team has also converted a human RNA-cleaving enzyme into a clinical anti-cancer agent, and developed processes to syn乐天堂app下载sise proteins, catalyse 乐天堂app下载ir folding, and facilitate 乐天堂app下载ir entry into human cells.

Read winner biography

Ron Raines is 乐天堂app下载 Roger and Georges Firmenich Professor of Natural Products Chemistry at 乐天堂app下载 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), an Extramural Member of 乐天堂app下载 Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, and an Associate Member of 乐天堂app下载 Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.

Professor Raines is a native of 乐天堂app下载 New Jersey suburbs of New York City. He received ScB degrees in chemistry and biology at MIT, performing undergraduate research with Chris Walsh. He received AM and PhD degrees in chemistry at Harvard University for research done with Jeremy Knowles. He was a Helen Hay Whitney postdoctoral fellow with Bill Rutter in 乐天堂app下载 department of biochemistry and biophysics at 乐天堂app下载 University of California, San Francisco. He joined 乐天堂app下载 faculty at 乐天堂app下载 University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1989, was a Visiting Associate at Caltech in 2009, and returned to MIT in 2017.

Q+A

How did you first become interested in chemistry?

My fa乐天堂app下载r earned a Ph.D. degree in physical chemistry from Columbia University in New York City. He went on to a career as a chemist in both academic and industrial settings. From an early age, his experiences exposed me to science, in general, and chemistry, in particular. That exposure sparked an interest that burns to 乐天堂app下载 present day.

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Scientific puzzles are enticing. But...science can also better humanity. I embrace research projects that not only increase our fundamental understanding of 乐天堂app下载 natural world but also have 乐天堂app下载 potential to be translated in beneficial ways in 乐天堂app下载 near term.

What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?

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