# Thomas A. Steitz

_American biochemist (1940–2018)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/thomas-a-steitz
Last updated: 2026-10-31

> Thomas Arthur Steitz (August 23, 1940 – October 9, 2018) was an American biochemist,  a Sterling Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale University, and investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, best known for his pioneering work on the ribosome.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 23 August 1940 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q109559#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Milwaukee ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q109559#P19))
- **Died:** 9 October 2018 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q109559#P570))
- **Place of death:** Branford ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q109559#P20))
- **Citizenship:** United States ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q109559#P27))
- **Occupation:** biochemist; molecular biologist; university teacher; chemist; crystallographer; biophysicist ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q109559#P106))
- **Education:** Harvard University; Lawrence University; Wauwatosa East High School ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q109559#P69))
- **Spouse:** Joan A. Steitz ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q109559#P26))
- **Awards:** Nobel Prize in Chemistry; Keio Medical Science Prize; Canada Gairdner International Award; Pfizer Award in Enzyme Chemistry; Rosenstiel Award; Sir Hans Krebs Medal; Sterling Professor; Honorary Doctorate of University of Buenos Aires; Foreign Member of the Royal Society; Newcomb Cleveland Prize; honorary doctor of the University of Bordeaux; Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q109559#P166))

## About

Steitz was awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry along with Venkatraman Ramakrishnan and Ada Yonath "for studies of the structure and function of the ribosome".  Steitz also won the Gairdner International Award in 2007 "for his studies on the structure and function of the ribosome which showed that the peptidyl transferase (EC 2.3.2.12) was an RNA catalyzed reaction, and for revealing the mechanism of inhibition of this function by antibiotics".

## Questions

**When was Thomas A. Steitz born?**  
Thomas A. Steitz was born on 23 August 1940 in Milwaukee.

**Where did Thomas A. Steitz study?**  
Thomas A. Steitz was educated at Harvard University, Lawrence University, Wauwatosa East High School.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Thomas A. Steitz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_A._Steitz) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q109559](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q109559) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Thomas A. Steitz.jpg by Prolineserver ( talk ) (CC BY-SA 3.0)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thomas_A._Steitz.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Thomas A. Steitz, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Thomas A. Steitz.jpg — Prolineserver ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0.

## Cite this page

"Thomas A. Steitz". DigiNepal. Last updated 31 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/thomas-a-steitz. Retrieved 5 November 2026.