Maria Jasin Receives 2025 Pearl Meister Greengard Prize for DNA Research

Maria Jasin, a prominent developmental biologist known for her groundbreaking research on DNA repair, has been awarded the 2025 Pearl Meister Greengard Prize. This prestigious recognition is conferred annually by Rockefeller University to honor exceptional women scientists. Jasin’s work has significantly advanced the understanding of cancers associated with inherited gene mutations, particularly through her exploration of how cells repair damaged DNA.

The award ceremony will take place on September 16, 2025, at Rockefeller University’s campus. Wendy Evans Joseph, a distinguished architect and founder of Studio Joseph, will present the award. Joseph is renowned for her contributions to public and cultural institutions, including her design work for the Campus Community Bridge at Rockefeller.

Jasin’s research has fundamentally altered scientific perceptions regarding DNA repair mechanisms. She demonstrated that homologous recombination is a crucial pathway for repairing DNA breaks in mammalian cells. Her investigations into the tumor suppressor genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 revealed their essential role in preventing breast cancer by ensuring proper DNA repair. Without the functionality of these genes, the probability of tumor development increases significantly.

In addition to her studies on cancer mechanisms, Jasin’s laboratory has made strides in understanding the role of BRCA genes in cancer treatment. Her findings indicate that these genes may also prevent DNA damage from occurring in the first place. Currently, her research focuses on DNA repair processes in breast cells across various developmental stages and contexts.

Jasin is also recognized for her pivotal contributions to the field of gene editing. Michael W. Young, chair of the selection committee and the Richard and Jeanne Fisher Professor at Rockefeller, stated, “Maria’s work laid a foundation for developing gene editing as a tool for therapy.” Her discovery that chromosome breaks promote recombination led to the first instance of site-directed gene editing, establishing a basis for subsequent gene-editing technologies.

A member of the National Academies of Sciences and Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Jasin earned her Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She completed her postdoctoral training at the University of Zürich and Stanford University before joining the faculty at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

The Pearl Meister Greengard Prize was founded by the late Paul Greengard, a Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine, alongside his wife, sculptor Ursula von Rydingsvard. Greengard donated his monetary share of the 2000 Nobel Prize to establish this annual award, which honors outstanding women in science. The prize includes a $100,000 honorarium and serves to recognize the achievements of women scientists, named in memory of Greengard’s mother.

The ceremony is open to the public, although registration for attendees is encouraged. For more details and registration information, interested individuals can visit the official page dedicated to the Pearl Meister Greengard Prize.