The RNA Society has named Professor Adrian Krainer as the recipient of their 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award. The organization is honoring Krainer for his work on Spinraza®, the first FDA-approved treatment for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).
SMA is a neurodegenerative disease that is the leading genetic cause of infant death. The treatment Krainer developed is based on a biological process called RNA splicing, and it works to compensate for the genetic issue that causes the disease. Krainer will receive the award during the 24th Annual RNA Society Meeting in June 2019.
The RNA Society emerged from a group of scientists who, starting in 1982, met at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) for regular “RNA Processing” meetings. In 1993 the society was established formally, and although the annual members’ meeting takes place elsewhere, an RNA Processing meeting is still held regularly at CSHL.
Krainer also won the 2019 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences for this life-saving research.
Written by: Sara Roncero-Menendez, Media Strategist | publicaffairs@cshl.edu | 516-367-8455