Recommendation Remark for
Dr. Amita Sehgal

by Dr. Johanna Meijer,

the chairperson of the current international selection committee
 

　　　　　Amita Sehgal is an endowed professor at the Department of Neuroscience at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, US. She began her research in New Delhi, India, and obtained her PhD at Cornell University in 1983. In 1988 she started her postdoctoral fellowship at Rockefeller University in the lab of Michael Young. Amita is well known for her studies on the molecular and cellular basis of sleep and circadian rhythms in drosophila and played a key role in the discovery of the molecular feedback loop that explains the autonomic ability of cells to produce circadian rhythms. This insight was the holy grail in rhythm research that occupied many molecular research groups for decades and was finally awarded with a Noble prize to M Young, M Rosbash and J Hall.

　　　　　Amita has further contributed to the scientific field with studies on the function of sleep, the immune system, jet lag, and other major topics. Her studies are not only relevant for basic scientists, but also have medical importance.

　　　　　Apart from the exceptional and continuing high quality of her scientific achievements, Amita served in many committees, either as member or as president, thereby supporting the advancement of the field of circadian rhythms and also science in general. It is with great pleasure that we nominate her for the Aschoff/Honma prize.