Prusiner began his groundbreaking research on prions in the early 1970s. Working with collaborators including D. P. Stites, W. J. Hadlow, D. E. Garfin, and C. W. Eklund, he proposed a novel infectious agent—what he later termed a "prion"—to explain the cause of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. This concept helped elucidate the pathology behind diseases such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or "mad cow disease") and its human counterpart, Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease.
His research significantly advanced understanding of neurodegeneration and contributed to new approaches targeting prion diseases, as well as Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. In recognition of his contributions, he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1992.
Prusiner has received numerous honors throughout his career. He was awarded the Richard Lounsbery Award by the National Academy of Sciences in 1993 for outstanding achievements in biology and medicine. That same year, he received the prestigious Dickson Prize in Medicine.
In 1997, Prusiner was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of prions. Additional accolades include the Benjamin Franklin Medal from the Franklin Institute in 1998 and the Keio Medical Science Prize. He was also honored with the National Medal of Science, further reflecting his influence on neuroscience research.
According to Google Scholar, Prusiner has made a significant impact on scientific literature, with numerous highly cited publications that continue to shape the field of neurodegenerative disease research.
Stanley Prusiner is married to Sandy Turk Prusiner, and together they have two children. He maintains a relatively low profile and is not active on social media. Information regarding his personal financial status is not publicly available, in keeping with his private lifestyle.
Return to the previous page| Birth Date: | 28 May, 1942 |
| Age: | 77 yrs |
| Citizenship: | United States of America |
| Birth Place: | Des Moines |
| residence: | San Francisco |
| Gender: | Male |
| Description: | Neurologist, biochemist |
