Dr. Michael W. Young is an American geneticist and a recipient of the 2017 Nobel Memorial Prize in Physiology or Medicine, celebrated for his foundational contributions to identifying the molecular processes that control the circadian rhythm. His groundbreaking research has provided deep insights into fundamental physiological processes, including sleep and metabolism, establishing him as a world-leading expert in chronobiology.
Young’s academic path began with degrees from the University of Texas, culminating in a Ph.D. in genetics in 1975, where he developed a keen interest in Drosophila (fruit fly) studies. His subsequent postdoctoral work at Stanford University School of Medicine focused on molecular genetics, setting the stage for his breakthrough research. In the early 1980s, at Rockefeller University, he intensively studied Drosophila circadian genes, utilizing a locomotive behavior monitor to prove that the fly’s behavioral cycles could be recovered by gene transfer, confirming the genetic basis of the internal clock.
His work in the early 1990s was pivotal to uncovering the molecular process that controls the body’s internal clock. Building on this discovery of the period gene, he later uncovered another key gene, Timeless, which helped explain how the clock functions and why its molecular alterations are directly responsible for human sleep problems. This research laid the foundation for the field of chronomedicine, linking the internal clock to a host of health issues.
A widely honored scientist, Dr. Young joined the American Philosophical Society in 2018, shortly after receiving the Nobel Prize in 2017 (shared with Michael Rosbash and Jeffrey C. Hall). Organizations book him for his authoritative talks regarding the genes linked to sleep regulation and the rhythm of life, seeking to gain insights from his scientific rigor and to inspire the next generation of students and researchers.
