Roger D. Kornberg's pioneering research in structural biology led to the discovery of the nucleosome, a fundamental particle of the human chromosome. A subunit of chromatin, a nucleosome is composed of a short length of DNA wrapped around a core of specialized proteins. Kornberg's discovery helped fuel later research on the structure of chromatin and its role in gene regulation.

The award-winning genetics researcher is also honored for his significant studies in the field of transcription, the first step in the regulation of gene expression. Before a cell divides or differentiates, the genetic information held by a cell's deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) strands must be copied or "transcribed" onto a messenger strand of ribonucleic acid (RNA). An enzyme called RNA polymerase II (poll II) affects the copying of this genetic code, but in the past, analysis of poll II has been difficult. A team of structural biologists, including Kornberg...