Distinguished Visiting Scientist
Professor Ron Vale

 Presents his talk:

Role of AI in Cell Biology and Science Education

15 August 2025 | 12:00 - 13:00
Wolfson Pavilion Lecture Theatre, IDM Building

Hosted by: Professor Valerie Mizrahi

Poster - Distinguished Scientist

Biosketch: 

Professor Ron Vale, Senior Group Leader, HHMI Janelia Research Campus (Moving to the Whitehead Institute/MIT in December 2025)

Professor Ron Vale’s research has focused on how cargoes are transported within cells using molecular motor proteins. He discovered the motor protein “kinesin,” and his laboratory was involved in elucidated its mechanism of movement using structural and single-molecule approaches. He has also studied T cell and macrophage signalling, RNA biology and phase separation, the role of the cytoskeleton in tissue organization, and the regulation of ciliary motility.

Ron served as Executive Director of Janelia Research Campus of HHMI from 2000-2004. He will begin an appointment as a professor in the Whitehead Institute at MIT in December 2025 and will be an Investigator with the HHMI. He founded iBiology, a non-profit organization that produces videos of scientific talks by leading scientists and makes them freely available, The Explorer’s Guide to Biology, a new type of learning resource of undergraduate biology, and Beautiful Biology, an outreach effort using imagery of the invisible living world. He founded ASAPbio, a non-profit organization, to improve scientific publishing in the life sciences.

Ron has received the Canada Gairdner International Award, the Lasker Award in Basic Medical Research, the Shaw Prize in Life Sciences, the Massry Prize, the Wiley Prize, and the Pfizer Award in Enzyme Chemistry. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Medicine, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, European Molecular Biology Organization, Indian National Science Academy and the Royal Society (Foreign Member). Professor Ron Vale’s research has focused on how cargoes are transported within cells using molecular motor proteins. He discovered the motor protein “kinesin,” and his laboratory was involved in elucidated its mechanism of movement using structural and single-molecule approaches. He has also studied T cell and macrophage signalling, RNA biology and phase separation, the role of the cytoskeleton in tissue organization, and the regulation of ciliary motility.

Ron served as Executive Director of Janelia Research Campus of HHMI from 2000-2004. He will begin an appointment as a professor in the Whitehead Institute at MIT in December 2025 and will be an Investigator with the HHMI. He founded iBiology, a non-profit organization that produces videos of scientific talks by leading scientists and makes them freely available, The Explorer’s Guide to Biology, a new type of learning resource of undergraduate biology, and Beautiful Biology, an outreach effort using imagery of the invisible living world. He founded ASAPbio, a non-profit organization, to improve scientific publishing in the life sciences.

Ron has received the Canada Gairdner International Award, the Lasker Award in Basic Medical Research, the Shaw Prize in Life Sciences, the Massry Prize, the Wiley Prize, and the Pfizer Award in Enzyme Chemistry. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Medicine, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, European Molecular Biology Organization, Indian National Science Academy and the Royal Society (Foreign Member).