Joan A. Steitz

Courtesy of Yale Daily News

“Advice for mentees: • If making discoveries in science gives you joy, go for it! • Keep exposing yourself to more diverse aspects of science. • Go to meetings. Connections are important. . . . • Take on the most challenging questions. • Stick to it—even if public opinion is against you. . . . • Take vacations. • Choose a supportive partner. • Teach: both by mentoring undergraduates and in the classroom.

Joan A. Steitz, interview with Dominik Theler, Newsletter, National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR), RNA & Disease, Switzerland, October 2019

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Joan A. Steitz (1941) is known for her pioneering work in the field of RNA biology. She discovered how small ribonucleoproteins function in pre-messenger RNA (the initial product of DNA transcription) and was the first to understand their critical role in processing messenger RNA. Her groundbreaking discoveries have revealed how proteins are formed and shed light on other biological processes, including intricate changes caused by the development of the brain and immune system. She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine.

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