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Michael N. Hall

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Michael Nip Hall[1]
Michael N. Hall in 2014
Born (1953-06-12) June 12, 1953 (age 73)[2]
Puerto Rico[3]
EducationUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (BS)
Harvard University (PhD)
Known forDiscovery and research of TOR
AwardsBalzan Prize
Sjöberg Prize
Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research
Szent-Györgyi Prize
Canada Gairdner International Award
Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences
Sir Hans Krebs Medal
Marcel Benoist Prize
Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine
Scientific career
FieldsMolecular biology
WorkplacesUniversity of Basel
University of California, San Francisco
Pasteur Institute
ThesisGenetic studies on the regulation of the major outer membrane porin proteins of Escherichia coli K-12 (1981)
Thomas J. Silhavy

Michael Nip Hall (born 12 June 1953) is an American-Swiss molecular biologist and Professor at the Biozentrum of the University of Basel, Switzerland.[4] He is known for his research on the TOR protein.[5]

Early life and education

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Hall was born in Puerto Rico. His family moved to Peru when he was 3, and relocated to Venezuela shortly after.[6] He moved to the United States at age 13 and attended St. Mark's School in Southborough, Massachusetts.[6]

Hall entered the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as an arts major before switching to zoology to pursue medicine. He earned his BSc in 1976.[2] Following clinical experience at a local hospital, he shifted to academic research, completing his undergraduate honors thesis in a molecular genetics laboratory.[6] Hall obtained his PhD from Harvard University in 1981.[2]

Career

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Hall worked at the Pasteur Institute in Paris as a research fellow for 8 months in 1981, studying the bacterial genetics research of François Jacob and Jacques Monod.[6] He then joined Ira Herskowitz's group at the University of California, San Francisco as a Helen Hay Whitney Fellow.[7] He became a principal investigator in 1984.[7]

Moving to Basel, Switzerland, in 1987, Hall joined the Division of Biochemistry of the Biozentrum, University of Basel, as an Assistant Professor.[8] He received a promotion to Professor in 1992.[2] He accepted a position as Distinguished Principal Investigator at the Institute of Human Biology of Hoffmann-La Roche, Basel, in 2023.[7]

Hall served as Vice Director of the Biozentrum from 2002 to 2009 and again from 2013 to 2016.[4] He chaired the European Molecular Biology Organization Council from 2021 to 2022, having previously served on the Council from 2017 to 2019 and 2020 to 2022.[9] He serves on the board of trustees of the Louis-Jeantet Foundation.[10]

Research

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Hall researches the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and cell growth control. He identified the protein kinase Tor (also known as mTOR).[5] In 1991, Hall identified two genes in yeast that, when mutated, stopped rapamycin from inhibiting cell growth.[11] He named the genes TOR1 and TOR2 for "Target of Rapamycin".[5] His group sequenced these genes, characterizing them as homologous kinases.[12][13]

Stuart Schreiber identified the mammalian counterpart of TOR 3 years later and named it "mammalian target of rapamycin" (mTOR).[14] The protein was later renamed "mechanistic target of rapamycin", retaining the mTOR abbreviation; both mTOR and TOR are now used to describe the protein across all organisms.[15]

The TOR (or mTOR) gene encodes a protein kinase activated by growth factors like insulin, available nutrients, and cellular energy in the form of ATP, functioning to control cell growth and metabolism. TOR protein dysregulation is implicated in aging and pathologies including cancer, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.[16]

Hall studies TOR/mTOR regulation in yeasts and humans. His laboratory discovered that TOR proteins form two functionally and compositionally distinct protein complexes (TORC1 and TORC2).[17] They demonstrated the mammalian counterpart of TORC2 (mTORC2) resists rapamycin inhibition and regulates a signaling pathway distinct from mTORC1.[18]

Hall's research group identified distinct functions for TORC1 and TORC2. mTORC1 activates nucleotide synthesis[19] and is stimulated by glutamine breakdown;[20] mTORC2 promotes lipid synthesis and tumorigenesis.[21] Hall collaborated with Nenad Ban and Timm Maier to report the structures of mTORC1 in 2016[22] and mTORC2 in 2018.[23]

Awards and honors

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References

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  1. 1 2 "Debrecen Award for Molecular Medicine 2016". University of Debrecen. Archived from the original on February 24, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Charles Rodolphe Brupbacher Prize for Cancer Research 2019" (PDF). Charles Rodolphe Brupbacher Foundation. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 23, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Michael N. Hall". National Academy of Sciences. Archived from the original on February 24, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Professor Michael N Hall". The Shaw Prize. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Sonenberg, Nahum (November 7, 2017). "Profile of Michael N. Hall, 2017 Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Awardee: Target of rapamycin, cell growth, and translational control". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 114 (45): 11802–11805. doi:10.1073/pnas.1716203114. PMC 5692558. PMID 29078414.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Neill, Ushma S. (2017). "A conversation with Michael Hall". Journal of Clinical Investigation. 127 (11): 3916–3917. doi:10.1172/JCI97760. PMC 5663369. PMID 29091075. Archived from the original on March 2, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 "CV of Prof. Dr. Michael N. Hall". Biozentrum University of Basel. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Michael N. Hall". Gairdner Foundation. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Council". European Molecular Biology Organization. March 22, 2021. Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  10. ↑ "The members of the Board of Trustees". Louis-Jeantet Foundation. December 7, 2017. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
  11. ↑ Heitman, Joseph; Movva, N. Rao; Hall, Michael N. (1991). "Targets for cell cycle arrest by the immunosuppressant rapamycin". Science. 253 (5022): 905–909. Bibcode:1991Sci...253..905H. doi:10.1126/science.1715094. PMID 1715094. S2CID 9937225.
  12. ↑ Kunz, Jeannette; Henriquez, Ruben; Schneider, Ulrich; Deuter-Reinhard, Maja; Movva, N. Rao; Hall, Michael N. (1993). "Target of rapamycin in yeast, TOR2, is an essential phosphatidylinositol kinase homolog required for G1 progression". Cell. 73 (7): 585–596. doi:10.1016/0092-8674(93)90144-F. PMID 8387896. S2CID 42926249. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  13. ↑ Helliwell, Stephen B.; Wagner, Philipp; Kunz, Jeannette; Deuter-Reinhard, Maja; Henriquez, Ruben; Hall, Michael N. (1994). "TOR1 and TOR2 Are Structurally and Functionally Similar but not Identical Phosphatidylinositol Kinase Homologues in Yeast". Molecular Biology of the Cell. 5 (1): 105–118. doi:10.1091/mbc.5.1.105. PMC 301013. PMID 8186460.
  14. ↑ Brown, Eric J.; Albers, Mark W.; Shin, Tae Bum; Ichikawa, Kazuo; Keith, Curtis T.; Lane, William S.; Schreiber, Stuart L. (1994). "A mammalian protein targeted by G1-arresting rapamycin-receptor complex". Nature. 369 (6483): 756–8. Bibcode:1994Natur.369..756B. doi:10.1038/369756a0. PMID 8008069. S2CID 4359651. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
  15. ↑ Kennedy, Brian K.; Lamming, Lamming (2016). "The Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin: The Grand ConducTOR of Metabolism and Aging". Cell Metabolism. 23 (6): 990–1003. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2016.05.009. PMC 4910876. PMID 27304501.
  16. ↑ Saxton, Robert A.; Sabatini, David M. (2017). "mTOR Signaling in Growth, Metabolism, and Disease". Cell. 168 (6): 960–976. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2017.02.004. PMC 5394987. PMID 28283069.
  17. ↑ Loewith, Robbie; Jacinto, Estela; Wullschleger, Stephan; Lorberg, Anja; Crespo, José L.; Bonenfant, Débora; Oppliger, Wolfgang; Jenoe, Paul; Hall, Michael N. (2002). "Two TOR Complexes, Only One of which Is Rapamycin Sensitive, Have Distinct Roles in Cell Growth Control". Molecular Cell. 10 (3): 457–468. doi:10.1016/S1097-2765(02)00636-6. PMID 12408816.
  18. ↑ Jacinto, Estela; Loewith, Robbie; Schmidt, Anja; Lin, Shuo; Rüegg, Markus A.; Hall, Alan; Hall, Michael N. (2004). "Mammalian TOR complex 2 controls the actin cytoskeleton and is rapamycin insensitive". Nature Cell Biology. 6 (11): 1122–1128. doi:10.1038/ncb1183. PMID 15467718. S2CID 13831153. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  19. ↑ Robitaille, Aaron M.; Christen, Stefan; Shimobayashi, Mitsugu; Cornu, Marion; Fava, Luca L.; Moes, Suzette; Prescianotto-Baschong, Christina; Sauer, Uwe; Jenoe, Paul; Hall, Michael N. (2013). "Quantitative Phosphoproteomics Reveal mTORC1 Activates de Novo Pyrimidine Synthesis". Science. 339: 1320–1313. doi:10.1126/science.1228771.
  20. ↑ Durán, Raúl V.; Oppliger, Wolfgang; Robitaille, Aaron M.; Heiserich, Lisa; Skendaj, Roswitha; Gottlieb, Eyal; Hall, Michael N. (2012). "Glutaminolysis Activates Rag-mTORC1 Signaling". Molecular Cell. 47 (3): 349–358. doi:10.1016/j.molcel.2012.05.043. PMID 22749528.
  21. ↑ Guri, Yakir; Colombi, Marco; Dazert, Eva; Hindupur, Sravanth K.; Roszik, Jason; Moes, Suzette; Jenoe, Paul; Heim, Markus H.; Riezman, Isabelle; Riezman, Howard; Hall, Michael N. (2017). "mTORC2 Promotes Tumorigenesis via Lipid Synthesis". Cancer Cell. 32 (6): 807–823. doi:10.1016/j.ccell.2017.11.011. PMID 29232555.
  22. ↑ Aylett, Christopher H. S.; Sauer, Evelyn; Imseng, Stefan; Boehringer, Daniel; Hall, Michael N.; Ban, Nenad; Maier, Timm (2016). "Architecture of human mTOR complex 1". Science. 351 (6268): 48–52. Bibcode:2016Sci...351...48A. doi:10.1126/science.aaa3870. PMID 26678875. S2CID 32663149. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  23. ↑ Stuttfeld, Edward; Aylett, Christopher H. S.; Imseng, Stefan; Boehringer, Daniel; Scaiola, Alain; Sauer, Evelyn; Hall, Michael N.; Maier, Timm; Ban, Nenad (2018). "Architecture of the human mTORC2 core complex". eLife. 7 e33101. doi:10.7554/eLife.33101. PMC 5837792. PMID 29424687.
  24. ↑ "Michael N. Hall". European Molecular Biology Organization. Archived from the original on November 27, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  25. ↑ Hall, Michael N. "TOR SIGNALLING: FROM BENCH TO BEDSIDE" (PDF). Max Cloëtta Foundation. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 26, 2023. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  26. ↑ "Elected Fellows". American Association for the Advancement of Science. Archived from the original on February 26, 2023. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  27. ↑ "Professor Michael N. HALL". Louis-Jeantet Foundation. October 2017. Archived from the original on February 26, 2023. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  28. ↑ "Past laureates". Marcel Benoist Prize. Archived from the original on February 26, 2023. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  29. ↑ "Senate of the SAMS: Individual members since 1992" (PDF). Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  30. ↑ "Plenary Lectures". Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Archived from the original on December 16, 2014. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  31. ↑ "Michael N. Hall". Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  32. ↑ "Michael N. Hall". Gairdner Foundation. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  33. ↑ "2017 Prize: Michael N. Hall, Ph.D." National Foundation for Cancer Research. April 26, 2016. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  34. ↑ "2017 Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award". Lasker Foundation. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  35. ↑ "2019 – Michael Hall". Human Frontier Science Program. Archived from the original on March 1, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  36. ↑ "Michael N. Hall". BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award. Archived from the original on March 1, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  37. ↑ "Sjöberg Prize awarded for decisive discoveries about cell growth" (Press release). Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. February 3, 2020. Archived from the original on March 1, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  38. ↑ "Michael Hall, lauréat 2024 de la Grande médaille de l'Académie des sciences" (in French). academie-sciences.fr. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  39. ↑ "ERC grantee wins Balzan Prize for biological ageing mechanisms". European Research Council. September 9, 2024. Retrieved July 11, 2026.
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