Ef Racker Lectureship in Biology and Medicine

Established in 1992, the annual lecture series honors Efraim Racker. This series brings to Cornell, eminent scientists who have made important contributions in the fields of biology, chemistry and medicine. Each scientist presents a public and an academic-technical lecture related to Ef Racker’s research. The lectureship is sponsored by the Cornell University Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics.

Click on a title below to view more information about a lecture. Some lectures include full video or audio recordings and include the label "video" or "audio" next to the title.

Note: The 2006 lectures were cancelled.

Upcoming lectures

NOTE: Due to unexpected circumstances, 2017 lecture dates have been cancelled. We hope to reschedule them and will post the updated dates when available.
Date Speaker Lecture title Lecture type
November 16, 2017, 8pm
Call Auditorium
 James P. Allison CANCELLED - Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Cancer Therapy: New Insights and Prospects for Cures General
November 17, 2017, 4pm
G-10 Biotechnology Building
 James P. Allison CANCELLED - Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Cancer Therapy: New Insights into Mechanisms Technical

Previous lectures

Year Speaker Lecture title Lecture type
2016 Michael S. Brown How Cells Sense Sterols Video Technical
2016 Michael S. Brown Why Hearts Attack Video General
2015 Jennifer A. Doudna The CRISPR-Cas9 Genome Engineering Revolution Video Technical
2015 Jennifer A. Doudna CRISPR Biology: Basic Science and Biotechnology Video General
2014 Philip A. Sharp The Amazing World of Noncoding RNAs Technical
2014 Philip A. Sharp Genes to Biogen, Noncoding RNAs to Alnylam, Science to Innovation Video General
2013 Ada E. Yonath What was first: The genetic code or its products? Technical
2013 Ada E. Yonath Life expectancy General
2012 Lewis Cantley PI 3-Kinase and Cancer Metabolism Technical
2012 Lewis Cantley The Future of Cancer Prevention and Treatment: Moving from Discovery to Implementation Video General
2011 Aaron Ciechanover The Ubiquitin Proteolytic System: From Basic Mechanisms thru Human Diseases and onto Drug Targeting Technical
2011 Aaron Ciechanover Drug Development in the 21st Century or Are We Going to Cure All Diseases Video General
2010 Mario Capecchi Gene Targeting into the 21st Century: Mouse Models of Human Disease from Cancer to Neuropsychiatric Disorders Technical
2010 Mario Capecchi The Making of a Scientist: An Unlikely Journey Video General
2009 Joseph Schlessinger Cell Signaling by Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; from Molecules to Cancer Therapy Video Technical
2009 Joseph Schlessinger Journey of a Biophysical Chemist in Biomedical Research Video General
2008 Robert H. Horvitz Genetic Control of Programmed Cell Death in C. Elegans Video Technical
2008 Robert H. Horvitz Cell Suicide: Programmed Cell Death in Development and Disease Video General
2007 Anthony Pawson Protein Interactions in Biological Complexity and Disease Video Technical
2007 Anthony Pawson Why Science Matters or How to get a PhD in Two Weeks Video General
2005 Leroy Hood Systems Biology: Transforming Biology and Medicine Technical
2005 Leroy Hood Enabling a Predictive, Preventive and Personalized Medicine with Striking Opportunities and Challenges for Society Video General
2004 Paul Nurse Cell Cycle Control Technical
2004 Paul Nurse The Great ideas of Biology Video General
2003 Randy Schekman Mechanism of Membrane Protein Sorting into Transport Vesicles Technical
2003 Randy Schekman Budding Yeast and the Brain Video General
2002 Susan L. Lindquist Protein Folding Mechanisms as Capacitors for Evolutionary Change Technical
2002 Susan L. Lindquist From Mad Cows to Psi-Chotic Yeast: The Bizarre Biology of Prions Video General
2001 Robert J. Lefkowitz Regulation of Heptahelical Receptors: Molecular Mechanisms and Physiological Implications Technical
2001 Robert J. Lefkowitz Receptor Regulation and the Development of New Cardiovascular Drugs General
2000 Eric S. Lander The Human Genome and Beyond Video Technical
2000 Eric S. Lander Human Genomics and Human Society in the 21st Century Video General
1999 Joan A. Steitz A Tale of Two Spliceosomes Technical
1999 Joan A. Steitz Lupus, SNURPS and Molecular Evolution General
1998 Gottfried Schatz What Cells Tell Us About Life On Earth General
1998 Gottfried Schatz A Novel Mitochondrial Import Pathway for Membrane Proteins Technical
1997 Harold Varmus Genes, Mice and Cancer Technical
1997 Harold Varmus The Origins of Cancer General
1996 David Baltimore Cellular Responses to Stress and Change Technical
1996 David Baltimore Can There Be a Vaccine Against AIDS? General
1995 Henry Bourne How Do Receptors Activate Trimeric G Proteins? Technical
1995 Henry Bourne Stories about Biological Signaling General
1994 Robert Weinberg The Retinoblastoma Protein and Control of the Cell Cycle Clock Technical
1994 Robert Weinberg Genes and the Molecular Origins of Cancer General
1993 Sydney Brenner The Evolution of Genes and Genomes Technical
1993 Sydney Brenner Human Genome Research Audio General
1992 James D. Watson The Human Genome Project Audio Technical
1992 James D. Watson The RNA Tie Club: Its Search for the Genetic Code Audio General