David Baltimore was born in 1938 in New York City to Richard Baltimore and Gertrude Baltimore. He was raised in the Queens neighborhoods of Rego Park and Forest Hills before his family moved to suburban Great Neck, New York. The relocation was prompted by his mother's belief that the local schools offered superior educational opportunities. He completed his secondary education at Great Neck High School in 1956.
During high school, Baltimore developed a strong interest in biology, which was further shaped by a formative summer experience at the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine. He went on to earn his bachelor's degree with high honors from Swarthmore College in 1960. While there, he was mentored by George Streisinger, whose guidance helped cultivate Baltimore’s passion for molecular biology.
David Baltimore was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1975, alongside Renato Dulbecco and Howard Temin. The honor recognized their groundbreaking discoveries related to the interaction of tumor viruses with the genetic material of cells, a milestone in the fields of virology and cancer research. Baltimore's work significantly contributed to the understanding of reverse transcription and its implications for molecular biology.
Baltimore's scientific contributions include pivotal work in recombinant DNA technology, immunology, and biotechnology. Over the course of his career, he has mentored numerous postdoctoral fellows and doctoral students, many of whom have gone on to become distinguished researchers in their own right.
In recognition of his lifelong impact on science and education, Baltimore received the U.S. National Medal of Science in 1999, among multiple other prestigious awards.
| Birth Date: | 7 Mar, 1938 |
| Age: | 82 yrs |
| Occupations: | Virologist Physician University teacher Microbiologist |
| Citizenship: | United States of America |
| Birth Place: | New York City |
| Gender: | Male |
| Description: | American biologist |
| Spouse: | Alice S. Huang |
| Net Worth 2021: | 3 million |
