Michael S. Brown, MD
Photo: Michael S. Brown

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Elected 1975

Michael S. Brown received an M.D. degree in 1966 from the University of Pennsylvania.  He was  an intern and resident at the Massachusetts General Hospital, and a post doctoral fellow with Earl Stadtman at the National Institutes of Health.  He is currently Paul J. Thomas Professor of Molecular Genetics and Director of the Jonsson Center for Molecular Genetics at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas.  Dr. Brown and his colleague, Dr. Joseph L. Goldstein, discovered the low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor, which controls cholesterol in blood and in cells.  They showed that mutations in this receptor cause Familial Hypercholesterolemia, a disorder that leads to premature heart attacks.  Their work laid the groundwork for drugs called statins that block cholesterol synthesis, increase LDL receptors, lower blood cholesterol and prevent heart attacks.  Statins are taken daily by more than 20 million people worldwide.  Brown and Goldstein shared many awards for this work, including the U.S. National Medal of Science and the Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology.  Dr. Brown served for 16 years on the Board of Directors of Pfizer, and he is currently a Director of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals.

Honors / awards

National Academy of Medicine (1987)
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1985) For discovery of cell receptors relating to cholesterol metabolism. Shared with Joseph L. Goldstein.
Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award (1985) For their historic discovery of the basic mechanisms controlling cholesterol metabolism, opening the way to a new pharmacologic approach to the treatment of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death and disability in the Western world. More
American Academy of Arts & Sciences (1981)
National Academy of Sciences (1980)