Lefkowitz, Robert Joseph (1943-…), an American biochemist, won the 2012 Nobel Prize in chemistry. He shared the prize with fellow American scientist Brian K. Kobilka. They received the prize for their research on cellular proteins called G-protein-coupled receptors. These proteins enable many living cells to sense and respond to chemical messages.
Lefkowitz worked with Kobilka to identify the structure and function of G-protein-coupled receptors. These receptors rank among the most common types of receptors in the body. They are found embedded in the membranes of living cells of humans and many other organisms. When activated by a chemical “signal” from outside the cell, they trigger changes within the cell. Such signaling plays an important role in the body’s control of nearly all biological processes. It helps regulate heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration. G-protein-coupled receptors are also necessary for such senses as sight, smell, and taste.
Robert Joseph Lefkowitz was born on April 15, 1943, in New York City. He graduated from Columbia University in 1962. He also earned his M.D. degree at Columbia in 1966. Since 1973, he has been a professor of biochemistry and medicine at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
See also Kobilka, Brian Kent .
