Utpal Banerjee
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Utpal Banerjee | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1957 (age 68–69) |
| Alma mater | St. Stephen's College, Delhi Delhi University IIT Kanpur California Institute of Technology |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Molecular biologist |
| Institutions | University of California, Los Angeles |
Utpal Banerjee (born 1957) is a distinguished professor of the department of molecular, cell and developmental biology at UCLA. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from St. Stephen's College, Delhi University, India and obtained his Master of Science degree in physical chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India. In 1984, he obtained a PhD in chemistry from the California Institute of Technology where he was also a postdoctoral Fellow in the laboratory of Seymour Benzer from 1984 to 1988.
Banerjee joined UCLA in 1988 as an assistant professor and attained the rank of full professor in 1994 in the department of molecular, cell and developmental biology.[1] He became vice-chair of that department in 1998, chair in 2001 until 2017, and the Irving and Jean Stone Endowed Chair in Life Science in 2009. He has a joint appointment in the department of biological chemistry[2] at the David Geffen School of Medicine[3] and is also co-director of the UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center.[4] Banerjee teaches courses in genetics that encourage undergraduates to participate in research[5] and he is the director of the UCLA Interdepartmental Minor in Biomedical Research.[6] He has also taught many genetics and developmental biology classes to undergraduate and graduate students. He is among 20 professors nationally to be awarded a $1 million grant by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute[7][8] to creatively improve undergraduate science teaching.
Banerjee was elected Member of the National Academy of Sciences[9][10] (2018); director, Genetics Society of America board of directors (2010); Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2009); Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences[11] (2008); president of the Drosophila Board, Genetics Society of America (2008). He also served on the Life Sciences jury for the Infosys Prize in 2014.
He was awarded the NIH Director's Pioneer Award,[12] National Institutes of Health (2011); Professors Award,[13] Howard Hughes Medical Institute (2010, 2006, 2002); Elizabeth W. Jones Award for Excellence in Education, Genetics Society of America (2010); Professor Mager Memorial Lecturer, University of Jerusalem, Israel (2004); Deans’ Recognition Award, UCLA (2003); Gold Shield Faculty Prize,[14] UCLA (2000); One of the Top 20 Professors of the Bruin Century, UCLA Today (2000); Kalfayan Memorial Lecture, University of North Carolina (1999); Margaret E. Early Medical Research Trust Award (1998); Harriet and Charles Luckman Distinguished Teaching Award, UCLA (1997); Eby Award for the Art of Teaching, UCLA (1997); Investigator Award, McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience (1996); Faculty Research Award, American Cancer Society (1993); Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award, Department of Biology, UCLA (1992); Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Award (1990–1992); McKnight Foundation Scholars Award (1989); Life Sciences Research Foundation Award Burroughs Wellcome Fund Fellow (1986–1988); Del E. Webb Postdoctoral Fellowship (1983–1986); Certificate of Merit, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (1977 1978); Sheshadri Memorial Award of the Delhi University (1977); National Paper Reading Prize (1976); National Science Talent Award (1974).
Banerjee is the third highest-salaried professor at a public university in the state of California.[15]
