Event Date
Ronald M. Evans, Ph.D., presents "Nuclear Receptors: Gateway to Cancer Research" in homage to Dr. Privalsky's popular undergraduate course: Cancer Biology.
About the speaker:
Ronald M. Evans, Ph.D. is a Professor at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, where he holds the March of Dimes Chair in Developmental and Molecular Biology and is the Director of the Gene Expression Laboratory.
His landmark paper in 1985 revealed the first complete sequence for the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) launching a molecular era of hormone signaling and gene control. His subsequent discovery of the Nuclear Receptor Superfamily launched a second wave of discovery that opened new branches of physiology. The receptor super-family helps to regulate sugar, salt, calcium, cholesterol and fat metabolism, and are primary targets in breast, prostate, and pancreatic cancer, leukemia, and have FDA-approved therapeutic roles in chronic inflammation, osteoporosis, asthma and Types 1 & 2 diabetes. His muscle metabolism studies on PPARd led to the discovery of ‘exercise mimetics,’ which deliver the benefits of training without exercise, and which will help battle the obesity epidemic, diabetes, heart disease and frailty. His work on stem cell differentiation includes the generation of Human Islet Like Organoids (HILOs) that rescue diabetes in mice with human insulin without need for a device. Evans is a previous co-leader of Stand Up to Cancer Dream Teams.
He has received over 60 US and International awards including the Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award (2004), the Wolf Prize in Medicine (2012), the Japan Prize in Medical Science and Pharmaceutical Science (2024), and most recently, the 2025 Kimberly Prize in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics. He is a member of the NAS, NAM and NAI, and is consistently ranked as one of the Top 100 Scientists in the World.
About the lecture:
The second Martin L. Privalsky memorial lecture celebrates and remembers Dr. Privalsky, Distinguished Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, who is in memoriam (1953-2020). Dr. Evans will present a lecture on "Nuclear Receptors: Gateway to Cancer Research" In homage to Dr. Privalsky's course: Cancer Biology. For more details about this course, click here.
Dr. Privalsky was the epitome of a University of California faculty member: a superb scientist, gifted teacher and mentor, and strong advocate for shared university governance. His contributions to the department, college and campus were profound, made with kindness, humor, and humanity. This lecture celebrates his accomplishments and life with support from family, friends, colleagues, and more.
If you wish to donate to the Martin L. Privalsky Memorial Lecture fund, please see the link here.