Biography
Raymond L. Erikson (January 24, 1936 – March 30, 2020) was a molecular biologist and virologist who noted research on cell growth and regulation. [ 1 ] He also served as the John F. Drum American Cancer Society Professor of Cellular and Developmental Biology at Harvard University . [ 2 ] Erikson was born in Eagle, Wisconsin , on a dairy farm that was settled by his father and grandfather. [ 1 ] Erikson was the oldest of two children. [ 3 ] Being from a small village, Erikson went to school in a one-room school house before going off to college. [ 3 ] Erikson went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison with the intent of being an agricultural sciences teacher. [ 4 ] It was not until his junior year where he gained interest in molecular biology after taking a course at college. [ 4 ] After taking the course, Erikson developed a passion for molecular biology. In 1958, Erikson enrolled in the University of Wisconsin-Madison's graduate school where he worked with Dr. Waclaw Szybalski . [ 4 ] In 1963, Erikson had earned a Ph.D.
About the Lasker Award
The Lasker Awards have been awarded annually since 1946 to living persons who have made major contributions to medical science or who have performed public service on behalf of medicine. They are administered by the Lasker Foundation, founded by advertising pioneer Albert Lasker and his wife Mary Woodard Lasker (a medical research activist). The awards are sometimes referred to as "America's Nobels."
Quick Facts
- Award: Lasker Award - Basic Medical Research
- Added: 2026-02-07
- Source: Wikipedia
- Established: 1946
- Presented by: Lasker Foundation