Leder, Philip

Philip Leder (1934- ), M.D., 1964, Harvard Medical School, is an American geneticist. He was born in Washington, D.C. and studied at Harvard University, graduating in 1960. Leder is known for his early work with Marshall Nirenberg on the genetic code and the Nirenberg and Leder experiment. Since that landmark experiment, he has made many seminal contributions in the fields of molecular genetics, immunology and the genetic basis of cancer. He is a recipient of the Lasker Award and the National Medal of Science. Leder is currently Chairman of the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School.