Thomas Pollard - teacher, cell biologist, biophysicist. He studied cell motility in the context of actin filaments and myosin motors. He made a significant contribution to molecular, cellular and developmental biology. As a professor and dean of Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, he received a significant number of awards and prizes.
Biography. Education
Thomas Dean Pollard was born on July 7, 1942. From 2010 to 2014, he was president of the Institute for Biological Research. He studied at Pomona College and received a bachelor's degree in 1964. He later entered Harvard Medical School and graduated with honors in 1968. He went through internship at the Massachusetts General Hospital and then decided to help people: he began his career as a doctor. Currently, the scientist is married to Patricia Snowden: they have two children.
Career and first studies
The famous scientist began his career as a doctor and a staff member of the National Institute of Heart and Lungs. Later, he decided to return to Harvard and become an assistant professor of the Department of Anatomy in 1972. In 1977, the scientist was appointed professor and chair of the Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. The laboratory under his leadership discovers several important cellular proteins. In 1996, Thomas became president of the Salk Institute for Biological Research in La Jollie, California. His productive studies in the context of structural biology are also held there.
In parallel, Pollard works as an associate professor of biology, bioengineering, chemistry and biochemistry at the University of California at San Diego. In 2001, he smoothly transferred his laboratory back to Yale. He is currently a professor and head of the Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry.
Pollard is known for actively promoting his research in biology through two large communities: the American Society of Cell Biology and the Biophysical Society. In both, he served as former president.
Currently Pollard is an official member of:
- American Academy of Arts and Sciences (since 1990);
- US National Academy of Sciences (since 1992);
- American Association for the Development of Science (since 1993);
- American Academy of Microbiology (since 1997);
- Biophysical Society (since 1999);
- Institute of Medicine (since 1999).
