# Jack W. Szostak

_American biologist_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/jack-w-szostak
Last updated: 2026-10-31

> Jack William Szostak  (born November 9, 1952) is a Canadian American biologist of Polish British descent, Nobel Prize laureate, university professor at the University of Chicago, former professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School, and Alexander Rich Distinguished Investigator at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 9 November 1952 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q104600#P569))
- **Place of birth:** London ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q104600#P19))
- **Citizenship:** United States; Canada ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q104600#P27))
- **Occupation:** biologist; molecular biologist; geneticist; professor; biochemist ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q104600#P106))
- **Education:** McGill University; Cornell University ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q104600#P69))
- **Awards:** Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research; Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine; NAS Award in Molecular Biology; Dr H.P. Heineken Prize for Biochemistry and Biophysics; Oparin Medal; Hans Sigrist Prize; Genetics Society of America Medal; Fellow of the Royal Society; Great Immigrants Award; Clarivate Citation Laureates; Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q104600#P166))

## About

Szostak has made significant contributions to the field of genetics. His achievement helped scientists to map the location of genes in mammals and to develop techniques for manipulating genes.

His research findings in this area are also instrumental to the Human Genome Project. He was awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, along with Elizabeth Blackburn and Carol W. Greider, for the discovery of how chromosomes are protected by telomeres.

## Questions

**When was Jack W. Szostak born?**  
Jack W. Szostak was born on 9 November 1952 in London.

**Where did Jack W. Szostak study?**  
Jack W. Szostak was educated at McGill University, Cornell University.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Jack W. Szostak](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_W._Szostak) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q104600](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q104600) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Nobel Prize 2009-Press Conference Physiology or Medicine-16.jpg by Prolineserver ( talk ) (CC BY-SA 3.0)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nobel_Prize_2009-Press_Conference_Physiology_or_Medicine-16.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Jack W. Szostak, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Nobel Prize 2009-Press Conference Physiology or Medicine-16.jpg — Prolineserver ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0.

## Cite this page

"Jack W. Szostak". DigiNepal. Last updated 31 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/jack-w-szostak. Retrieved 5 November 2026.