Printer Friendly Version - Person of the Week: Branford's Nobel Prize Winner Tom Steitz

Inspiring views from his Stony Creek home are everywhere for Tom Steitz, Branford's own 2009 Nobel Prize winner. On Oct. 7, Steitz was named one of three winners of the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for work describing the structure and function of the ribosome.

Tom Steitz has a comfortable living room chair where he likes to sit, think, and try not to become too distracted by the Stony Creek water views. It can't be said for certain, but maybe some of that thinking helped him become one of three winners of the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for work describing the structure and function of the ribosome.Since the Oct. 7 announcement, Tom has been the subject of seemingly non-stop congratulatory contacts, press conferences, and news interviews, including one with

Since the Oct. 7 announcement, Tom has been the subject of seemingly non-stop congratulatory contacts, press conferences, and news interviews, including one with The Sound at his home last week. A Sterling professor of molecular biophysics and biochemistry and professor of chemistry at Yale University as well as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, Tom says when he's in Stony Creek, he's just another Creeker, adding, "The Creek's a great place. I know a lot of people here."

A Sterling professor of molecular biophysics and biochemistry and professor of chemistry at Yale University as well as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, Tom says when he's in Stony Creek, he's just another Creeker, adding, "The Creek's a great place. I know a lot of people here." Many neighbors have added their congratulations to the blizzard of mail tumbling in daily, he says.

Many neighbors have added their congratulations to the blizzard of mail tumbling in daily, he says."I've been hearing from friends and from people I haven't heard from in decades. The difference between receiving this award and other awards has been astronomical."

"I've been hearing from friends and from people I haven't heard from in decades. The difference between receiving this award and other awards has been astronomical."One of "other awards" includes a 2007 Gairdner International Award, often a precursor to a Nobel Prize. Tom notes that his wife, Joan Steitz (also a Sterling professor of molecular biophysics and biochemistry at Yale University) has received even more awards than he and won a Gairdner before he did.

One of "other awards" includes a 2007 Gairdner International Award, often a precursor to a Nobel Prize. Tom notes that his wife, Joan Steitz (also a Sterling professor of molecular biophysics and biochemistry at Yale University) has received even more awards than he and won a Gairdner before he did. "I don't know if there's a more accomplished female scientist in the world," he says.

"I don't know if there's a more accomplished female scientist in the world," he says.In December, Tom, Joan, and 14 guests will travel from Stony Creek to Sweden, where the King of Sweden will hand Tom the Nobel Prize on behalf of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

In December, Tom, Joan, and 14 guests will travel from Stony Creek to Sweden, where the King of Sweden will hand Tom the Nobel Prize on behalf of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. "It goes on for about six days…There are Nobel lectures, symphony concerts, the ceremony, and a lavish banquet [attended] in white tie and tails. You're seated at a long table in the middle of a huge room with the other laureates, their significant others, and the king and queen," he says. "It's very fancy."

time attending the international event (Tom was invited to its 100th anniversary in 2001).

"It goes on for about six days…There are Nobel lectures, symphony concerts, the ceremony, and a lavish banquet [attended] in white tie and tails. You're seated at a long table in the middle of a huge room with the other laureates, their significant others, and the king and queen," he says. "It's very fancy."Eventually, the couple will return to everyday life and their Stony Creek home, built in 1979.

Eventually, the couple will return to everyday life and their Stony Creek home, built in 1979."I had a friend who used to live in the Creek and we went for a walk in this area and I thought, 'This is amazing.' We bought four acres for $52,000 in about 1976. On our current salaries today, I don't think we could afford to buy this," Tom says, laughing.

"I had a friend who used to live in the Creek and we went for a walk in this area and I thought, 'This is amazing.' We bought four acres for $52,000 in about 1976. On our current salaries today, I don't think we could afford to buy this," Tom says, laughing.Of course, winning the Nobel Prize will certainly add a bit to this year's bottom line. Tom splits its $1.4 million award with colleagues Venkatraman Ramakrishnan of the MRC Laboratory of Moleculary Biology (Cambridge, UK)

Of course, winning the Nobel Prize will certainly add a bit to this year's bottom line. Tom splits its $1.4 million award with colleagues Venkatraman Ramakrishnan of the MRC Laboratory of Moleculary Biology (Cambridge, UK) The three have been recognized for effectively mapping the position for every one the hundred upon thousands of atoms making up the ribosome, which also led to the discovery of the potential for a new generation of antibiotics that target the ribosome.

The three have been recognized for effectively mapping the position for every one the hundred upon thousands of atoms making up the ribosome, which also led to the discovery of the potential for a new generation of antibiotics that target the ribosome.As for the idea of pursuing the structure and makeup of the ribosome, Tom says, "I just got excited by the interesting question of, 'How does it work?' This is the largest RNA machine that exists and you previously had no idea how it's put together."

As for the idea of pursuing the structure and makeup of the ribosome, Tom says, "I just got excited by the interesting question of, 'How does it work?' This is the largest RNA machine that exists and you previously had no idea how it's put together." In 2000, with the aid of 2.5 billion electron volt x-ray beam at Brookhaven National Laboratory's National Synchrotron Light Source (and additional data from Advanced Photo Source, Argonne National Laboratory), Tom was able to establish the three-dimensional atomic details of all 100,000 atoms of the ribosome using the diffraction pattern of the protein-RNA crystals.

In 2000, with the aid of 2.5 billion electron volt x-ray beam at Brookhaven National Laboratory's National Synchrotron Light Source (and additional data from Advanced Photo Source, Argonne National Laboratory), Tom was able to establish the three-dimensional atomic details of all 100,000 atoms of the ribosome using the diffraction pattern of the protein-RNA crystals. In an-oft used quote since the Nobel Prize announcement, Tom said that first view was "the most exhilarating moment I have experienced in science, to peer into the inner workings of the ribosome."

In an-oft used quote since the Nobel Prize announcement, Tom said that first view was "the most exhilarating moment I have experienced in science, to peer into the inner workings of the ribosome." He leads a team of students and post-doctorates in his Yale lab and worked with Professor Peter Moore, who also deserves credit, Tom says. He also credits Sterling Professor Emeritus Frederic Richards, a Guilford resident who passed away in January, as Yale's "pillar." Richards hired Tom in 1970.

He leads a team of students and post-doctorates in his Yale lab and worked with Professor Peter Moore, who also deserves credit, Tom says. He also credits Sterling Professor Emeritus Frederic Richards, a Guilford resident who passed away in January, as Yale's "pillar." Richards hired Tom in 1970."I think the public gets the

doing all the work. That's baloney; it's not true. It's a big community. I was the leader of the team, but it was a team."