Joan A. Steitz

Joan Elaine Argetsinger Steitz (born January 26, 1941) is Sterling Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale University and Investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. She is known for her discoveries involving RNA, including ground-breaking insights into how ribosomes interact with messenger RNA by complementary base pairing and that introns are spliced by small nuclear ribonucleic proteins (snRNPs), which occur in eukaryotes.

Personal life

Steitz (born Joan Argetsinger) married Thomas Steitz, also Sterling Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale and the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry laureate, in 1966. They have one son, Jon.

Awards and honors

• Wolf Prize in Medicine (2021)
• Microbiology Society Prize Medal by the Microbiology Society to those who have made an impact beyond *microbiology (2020)
• Lasker-Koshland Award for Special Achievement in Medical Science (2018)
• Royal Society of London (2014)
• Biochemical Society Jubilee Lecture Award (2009)
• Columbia University Honorary Doctorate of Science] (2011)
• Albany Medical Center Prize (shared with Elizabeth Blackburn) (2008)
• Rosalind E. Franklin Award for Women in Science, National Cancer Institute (2006)
• Gairdner Foundation International Award (2006)
• E.B. Wilson Medal (2005), American Society for Cell Biology
• RNA Society Lifetime Achievement Award (2004)
• The Caledonian Research Foundation (CRF) Prize Lectureship in Biomedical Sciences and Arts and Letters (2004), *Royal Society of Edinburgh
• FASEB Excellence in Science Award (2003)
• Lewis S. Rosenstiel Award for Distinguished Basic Medical Science (2002)
• L'Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science (2001)
• Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement (1992)
• Warren Triennial Prize (1989)
• Dickson Prize for Science (1988)
• National Medal of Science (1986), National Science Foundation
• Member, National Academy of Sciences (1983)
• Lee Howley, Sr. Award for Arthritis Research (1983)
• NAS Award in Molecular Biology (1982)
• American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1982)
• Eli Lilly Award in Biological Chemistry (1976)[45]
• Passano Foundation Young Scientist Award (1975)[46]