Craig Mello
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Early Life and Family Background
Craig Mello, a Nobel Prize-winning molecular biologist, was born on October 18, 1960, in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. He is an American citizen by birth. Mello was the third of four children born to James and Sally Mello. His father, James Mello, was a paleontologist and served as associate director of the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. His mother, Sally, was an artist. Influenced by his father's scientific background, Mello developed a deep curiosity about living organisms at a very young age. He spent most of his childhood in Northern Virginia.
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- 18 Oct, 1960
- Age
- 59 yrs
- Occupations
- Biologist
Biochemist
Physician
Professor
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- Citizenship
- United States of America
- Birth Place
- New Haven
- Education
- Harvard University
Brown University - Gender
- Male
- Description
- American biologist
Education and Early Scientific Interests
From an early age, Craig Mello demonstrated a strong interest in understanding the world around him, particularly the principles of evolution and molecular biology. He went on to study biochemistry and molecular biology at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, earning his B.S. degree in 1982.
After completing his undergraduate studies, Mello pursued a Ph.D. in biology at Harvard University. During this period, he collaborated with several leading scientists. He initially worked at the University of Colorado at Boulder, where he met molecular biologist David Hirsh and began conducting research in his laboratory. At the same time, he became acquainted with Dan Stinchcomb, with whom he later moved to Harvard. There, Mello focused his research on the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), a model organism frequently used in genetic studies.
Personal Life
Craig Mello married Margaret Hunter in 1992, and the couple had a daughter named Melissa. However, the marriage ended in divorce in 1994. In 1998, Mello married again, this time to Edit Kiss. He became the stepfather to her two children, David and Sarah, and in 2000, the couple had a daughter named Victoria.
