Born in 1960 in New Haven, Connecticut, Dr. Mello earned his B.S. in biochemistry from Brown University in 1982 and his Ph.D. in Biology from Harvard University in 1990. From 1990 to 1994, he conducted postdoctoral research at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA. He has been a member of the University of Massachusetts Medical School faculty since 1995 and a Howard Hughes Medical Investigator since 2000.
Dr. Mello was awarded the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, shared with Dr. Andrew Fire, for their discovery of RNA interference (RNAi). Their discovery of this fundamental mechanism is essential for controlling the flow of genetic information and revolutionized our understanding of gene regulation.
RNA interference occurs in plants, animals, and humans. It is essential for regulating gene expression, protecting against viral infections, and keeping jumping genes under control. RNA interference is already being widely used in basic science to study the function of genes.
Learn more about the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.