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Lynne E. Maquat, Ph.D., a mechanistic biochemist and director of the University of Rochester Center for RNA Biology, is the winner of 2024 . Honored for her fundamental discoveries about RNA decay in the context of human diseases, she shares the award with Alexander Varshavsky, Ph.D., of the California Institute of Technology, who is honored for his research on regulated degradation of proteins.

Established by Johnson & Johnson in 2004, the award is a tribute to Dr. Paul Janssen, an accomplished and passionate researcher who helped save millions of lives through his contribution to the discovery and development of more than 80 medicines. Since its inception, the award has recognized 24 exceptional scientists, eight of whom have gone on to win the Nobel Prize.

Maquat discovered a cellular quality control mechanism known as nonsense-mediated mRNA decay or NMD. One of the major surveillance systems in the body, NMD protects against mistakes in gene expression by targeting and eliminating deleterious mRNAs that could lead to the production of incomplete and potentially toxic proteins. NMD plays a role in many disorders, including inherited diseases like cystic fibrosis and different types of cancer.

Maquat and Varshavsky were chosen by an independent selection committee of the world’s most renowned scientists.

“The works of Drs. Maquat and Varshavsky stood out from the many other deserving researchers for this award. These researchers discovered how our cells survey the quality of their RNAs and proteins and control their degradation where needed. The mechanisms they’ve unearthed have broad implications for health and could be useful targets in lowering the rate of people affected by harmful diseases such as cancer,” said Elaine Fuchs, Ph.D., Selection Committee Chair for the Dr. Paul Janssen Award.

The J. Lowell Orbison Endowed Chair and Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Maquat is the recipient of several other significant honors, including:

• Gruber Genetics Prize (2023)
• Wolf Prize in Medicine (2021)
• Warren Alpert Foundation Prize (2021)
• Wiley Prize in Biomedical Sciences (2018)
• Vanderbilt Prize in Biomedical Science (2017)
• Canada Gairdner International Award (2015)
• RNA Society’s Lifetime Achievement Awards in Service (2010) and in Science (2017)

Maquat also holds appointments in Pediatrics and Oncology and is a member of the Wilmot Cancer Institute. She is the founding director of the Graduate Women in Science program at the University of Rochester.   

“Lynne’s dedication to her science, her trainees and to the field of RNA biology as a whole is unmatched,” said Jeffrey J. Hayes, PhD, chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the School of Medicine and Dentistry. “Her work has propelled the field of RNA biology to the forefront of medicine and ushered in an era where scientists are putting RNA-based research to use to design treatments. She is extremely deserving of this honor.”