Michael Levine

Dr. Michael Levine is the Director of the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics at Princeton University. Levine is known for his extraordinary research contributions to the field of developmental biology and for his training of the next generation of scientists. Levine co-discovered the homeobox domain, a critical DNA sequence found within genes that are involved in the regulation of patterns of anatomical development in animals, fungi, and plants. This keystone discovery has had a very large conceptual significance for developmental biology – and by extension for evolutionary biology – and has become a critical paradigm for understanding organismal development. For nearly 30 years, the Levine laboratory has continued to focus on developmental genetics, studying the gene networks that control animal development and disease. In particular, Levine has focused on elucidating the control of segmentation and gastrulation in the early Drosophila embryo, the immune response in Drosophila larvae, and the differentiation of the notochord and heart in the sea squirt, Ciona intestinalis. Levine has received numerous awards for his work, including the EG Conklin Award, the NAS Molecular Biology Award, and the Wilbur Cross Medal. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences in addition to his American Academy of Arts and Sciences membership. Levine’s numerous publications appear in top-tier journals including Cell, Nature, PNAS, and Science.