Ralph Lawrence Brinster

Ralph Lawrence Brinster is an American geneticist and Richard King Mellon Professor of Reproductive Physiology at the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania.

Birth and education

Ralph L. Brinster grew up on a small farm in Cedar Grove, New Jersey. He studied animal science as an undergraduate at the Cook School of Agriculture, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, and completed his B.S. in 1953. He was an officer in the United States Air Force (1953–1956) and served during the Korean War. He returned from military service and earned his V.M.D. (1960) and his Ph.D. in Physiology (1964) from the University of Pennsylvania.

Research Impact

Ralph Brinster is acknowledged as one of the seminal founders of the field of mammalian transgenesis.[4][5][6] He is known throughout the scientific community for his revolutionary research in embryonic-cell differentiation, developmental mechanisms of gene control, and stem cell physiology.

During the 1960s, Brinster pioneered the development of techniques to manipulate mouse embryos—his techniques have made the mouse the major genetic model for understanding the basis of human biology and disease.[5][6] His research has provided the experimental foundation for progress in germline genetic modification in a range of species, which has generated a revolution in biology, medicine, and agriculture.

Notable awards

• 1986 Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences[
• 1987 Member of the National Academy of Sciences
• 1994 Grand Prix Charles-Leopold Mayer, FRA
• 1996 March of Dimes Prize in Developmental Biology, USA
• 2003 Wolf Prize in Medicine, ISR
• 2006 Gairdner Foundation International Award, CAN
• 2010 National Medal of Science, USA
• 2011 International Society of Transgenic Technology Award