Recognizing her work investigating meiotic cell cycle regulation and chromosome segregation in budding yeast and mouse oogenesis, Soni Lacefield, PhD, a professor of biochemistry and cell biology at Dartmouth’s Geisel of Medicine, has received the Genetics Society of America’s Ira Herskowitz Award for outstanding contributions in the field of yeast research.
“I am deeply honored to receive the Ira Herskowitz Award from the Genetics Society of America. Ira Herskowitz was a remarkable geneticist whose discoveries transformed our understanding of fundamental biological processes, and it is truly meaningful to receive an award in his name,” Lacefield says.
Using a combination of live cell imaging, cell biology, biochemistry, and genetics, Lacefield says her lab “seeks to understand how chromosomes segregate accurately during meiosis, and this recognition reflects not only my work but also the creativity and dedication of the outstanding students and trainees in my laboratory.”
Chromosome segregation errors in meiosis can have devastating consequences, causing miscarriage, infertility, and disorders including trisomy conditions.
Herskowitz was a professor of genetics and biochemistry and co-director of the Program in Human Genetics at UC San Francisco. An internationally renowned geneticist, his work on the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae resulted in major insights into fundamental aspects of cells. He was also a pioneer in pharmacogenetics, the study of the way natural variations in individuals’ genes affect their response to drugs.
The award will be presented to Lacefield in June, during the international Yeast Genetics Meeting. Held every two years, it is the premier meeting for students, postdoctoral scholars, research staff, principal investigators, and industry scientists studying various aspects of eukaryotic biology in yeast, a major experimental model for understanding human cell biology and mechanisms of human disease.