{{Short description|American geneticist}} {{Infobox scientist | name = Fred Gage thumb|Fred Gage in 2026 | birth_date = {{birth-date and age|October 8, 1950}} | birth_place = | field = Neuroscience, genetics | work_institutions = Salk Institute for Biological Studies<br>University of California, San Diego | education = University of Florida<br>Johns Hopkins University | known_for = Discovering stem cells in the human brain | spouse = Mary Lynn Gage | prizes = Christopher Reeve Research Medal<br>Max Planck Research Prize | notable_students = Jenny Hsieh }}
'''Fred "Rusty" Gage''' (born October 8, 1950) is an American geneticist known for his discovery of stem cells in the adult human brain.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Fred H. Gage {{!}} American geneticist {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Fred-H-Gage |access-date=2023-05-23 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> Gage is a former president (2018–2023) of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gage |first1=Rusty |title=President |url=https://www.salk.edu/news-release/salk-president-rusty-gage-named-to-new-five-year-term-to-lead-institute/ |website=www.salk.edu |publisher=Salk Institute |accessdate=31 October 2019}}</ref> where he holds the Vi and John Adler Chair for Research on Age-Related Neurodegenerative Disease and works in the Laboratory of Genetics.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Rusty Gage, PhD |url=https://www.salk.edu/scientist/rusty-gage/ |access-date=2023-05-23 |website=Salk Institute for Biological Studies |language=en}}</ref>
Gage concentrates on the adult central nervous system and the unexpected plasticity and adaptability that remains throughout the life of all mammals.<ref name=":0" /> His work may lead to methods of replacing brain tissue lost to stroke or Alzheimer's disease and repairing spinal cords damaged by trauma.
== Biography == Gage was raised in Frankfurt, Germany, but spent time living in and visiting Italy throughout his upbringing. These experiences influenced his later decision to attend St. Stephen's School Rome for high school, which had been founded by a customer of his stockbroker father.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=matteopu |title=St Stephen's School |url=https://sssrome.it/rusty-gage |access-date=2023-05-23 |website=St Stephen's School |language=en}}</ref>
Gage speaks fondly of his time at St. Stephen's, where, amidst his studies, he met his future wife. Because he was living in the rich historic city of Rome, Gage remembers focusing on art history and humanities throughout high school. However, his sister was a scientist, and she encouraged him to consider the discipline by sending articles and books to Gage over the years.<ref name=":2" />
Following his time in Rome, Gage had no intentions of returning to the United States—but his parents told him otherwise. He ended up choosing University of Florida for his undergraduate studies, since his sister and father had both attended the school.<ref name=":2" /> After a year in Florida, Gage was desperate to get back to Europe and he knew he needed to get a job to do so. He joined the University of Florida's research laboratory at the medical school and from then on dedicated his life to science.<ref name=":2" />
==Education==
Gage graduated from St. Stephen's School in Rome, Italy in 1968.<ref name=":1" /> After graduating from high school, Gage received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Florida, where he worked in the brain research laboratory. He then went on to receive his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University, where he continued to focus on neuroscience.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fred Gage |url=https://iem.ucsd.edu/researchers/people/profiles/fred-gage.html |access-date=2023-05-23 |website=iem.ucsd.edu}}</ref> In 1976, he had completed his Ph.D. and moved to Texas Christian University as associate director of the school's neuroscience program. In 1981, he left Texas Christian University to complete his postdoctoral research at Lund University in Sweden, under the direction of cell transplantation pioneer Anders Björklund. After completing his research, he remained at Lund University as an associate professor until 1985, when he moved back to the United States.<ref name=":1" />
== Career and research == At the conclusion of his time at Lund University, Gage moved to San Diego, where he became a faculty member in the University of California, San Diego, neuroscience department. In 1995, he moved to the Salk Institute, where he still works.<ref name=":1" />
In 1998, Gage (Salk Institute, La Jolla, California) and Peter Eriksson (Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden) discovered and announced that the human brain produces new nerve cells in adulthood.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last1=Eriksson |first1=Peter S. |last2=Perfilieva |first2=Ekaterina |last3=Björk-Eriksson |first3=Thomas |last4=Alborn |first4=Ann-Marie |last5=Nordborg |first5=Claes |last6=Peterson |first6=Daniel A. |last7=Gage |first7=Fred H. |date=November 1998 |title=Neurogenesis in the adult human hippocampus |journal=Nature Medicine |language=en |volume=4 |issue=11 |pages=1313–1317 |doi=10.1038/3305 |issn=1546-170X|doi-access=free |pmid=9809557 }}</ref> Until then, it had been assumed that humans are born with all the brain cells they will ever have. Gage's laboratory showed that, contrary to years of dogma, human beings are capable of growing new nerve cells throughout life.<ref name=":3" />
Small populations of immature nerve cells are found in the adult mammalian brain, and Gage is working to understand how these cells can be induced to become mature nerve cells.<ref name=":0" /> His team is investigating how such cells can be transplanted back to the brain and spinal cord. They have shown that physical exercise can enhance the growth of new brain cells in the hippocampus, a brain structure that is important for the formation of new memories.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Exercise Makes Mice Smarter, Salk Scientists Demonstrate |url=https://www.salk.edu/news-release/exercise-makes-mice-smarter-salk-scientists-demonstrate/ |access-date=2023-05-23 |website=Salk Institute for Biological Studies |language=en}}</ref> Furthermore, his team is examining the underlying molecular mechanisms that are critical to the birth of new brain cells—work that may lead to new therapeutics for neurodegenerative conditions.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-02-06 |title=Neuroscientist's research helped unearth how human brains can make new cells |language=en-US |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/neuroscientists-research-helped-unearth-how-human-brains-can-make-new-cells/2021/02/05/5ae79ea4-60be-11eb-9430-e7c77b5b0297_story.html |access-date=2023-05-23 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>
His laboratory studies the genomic mosaicism that exists in the brain as a result of "jumping genes", mobile elements, and DNA damage that occurs during development. Specifically, he is interested in how this mosaicism may lead to difference in brain function between individuals.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Paquola |first1=Apuã C. M. |last2=Erwin |first2=Jennifer A. |last3=Gage |first3=Fred H. |date=February 2017 |title=Insights into the role of somatic mosaicism in the brain |journal=Current Opinion in Systems Biology |volume=1 |pages=90–94 |doi=10.1016/j.coisb.2016.12.004 |issn=2452-3100 |pmc=5718369 |pmid=29226270}}</ref> His laboratory published work showing that human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) erase aging signatures and hiPSC-derived neurons remain rejuvenated, while direct conversion into induced neurons (iNs) preserve donor fibroblast age-dependent transcriptomic signatures.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Mertons|first1=Jerome|title=Directly Reprogrammed Human Neurons Retain Aging-Associated Transcriptomic Signatures and Reveal Age-Related Nucleocytoplasmic Defects|journal=Cell Stem Cell|date=2015|volume=17|issue=6|pages=705–718|doi=10.1016/j.stem.2015.09.001|pmc=5929130|pmid=26456686}}</ref>
In October 2004, he participated in the XIIth Mind and Life Institute conference in Dharamsala, India, on the theme of neuroplasticity<ref>Sharon Begley, Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain, 2008, p. 304, {{ISBN|978-0-307-49208-1}}.</ref><ref>Sharon Begley, [https://books.google.fr/books?id=fP6dBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT234 The Plastic Mind], Hachette UK, 2012, {{ISBN|978-1-4721-0356-7}}, p. 234</ref><ref>Jonathan Knight, ''Buddhism on the brain'', Nature, 432, 670 (2004).{{doi|10.1038/432670a}}</ref> and spoke with the 14th Dalai Lama about his research demonstrating the generation of new nerve cells in the adult brain.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Buddhist Channel {{!}} Healing & Spirituality |url=https://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=7,2517,0,0,1,0 |website=www.buddhistchannel.tv}}</ref>
==Relationship with Phineas Gage== Fred Gage has been said to be a descendant of<ref>[http://www.michaelspecter.com/2001/07/rethinking-the-brain/ "Rethinking the Brain"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190630113613/http://www.michaelspecter.com/2001/07/rethinking-the-brain/ |date=2019-06-30 }}, Michael Specter, ''The New Yorker,'' July 23, 2001;</ref> (or more specifically, the great-grandson of)<ref>Black, Ira B. (2002). ''The Changing Brain: Alzheimer's Disease and Advances in Neuroscience'', pp.235-6. Oxford University Press. {{ISBN|0-19-515697-8}}, {{ISBN|978-0-19-515697-3}}.</ref> Phineas Gage, through whose brain an iron bar {{frac|1|1|4}}-inches in diameter was accidentally driven in 1848, transforming him into perhaps the most famous of all brain-injury survivors. However, this proposition faces considerable difficulties, chief of which being that Phineas Gage had no known children.<ref>Macmillan, Malcolm (2002). ''An Odd Kind of Fame: Stories of Phineas Gage'', pp.16-18. MIT Press. {{ISBN|0-262-63259-4}}, {{ISBN|978-0-262-63259-1}}</ref>
==Awards and honors==
*IPSEN Prize in Neuronal Plasticity, 1990<ref>{{cite web|title=Professor Rusty Gage, Laboratory of Genetics|url=https://www.salk.edu/scientist/rusty-gage/|website=Salk Institute for Biological Studies|accessdate=27 May 2016}}</ref> *Charles A. Dana Award for Pioneering Achievements in Health and Education, 1993 *Christopher Reeve Research Medal, 1997 *Max Planck Research Prize, 1999 *Metlife Foundation Award for Medical Research in Alzheimer's Disease, 2001<ref>{{cite web|title=Awards for Medical Research, Metlife Foundation|url=http://mlfawards.afar.org/docs/2015Edition_MetLifeFoundationAwards_PastWinners_072115%20.pdf|accessdate=27 May 2016}}</ref> *President, Society for Neuroscience, 2001 *MetLife Award for Medical Research, 2002 *National Academy of Sciences Fellow, 2003<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fred H. Gage |url=https://www.nasonline.org/member-directory/members/63804.html |access-date=2023-05-23 |website=www.nasonline.org}}</ref> *The Max Planck Society/Gertrud Reemstma Foundation Klaus-Joachim Zülch Prize, 2003 *American Academy of Arts and Sciences Fellow, 2005 *Keio Medical Science Prize, 2008 *European Molecular Biology Organization Associate Member, 2009 *American Philosophical Society Member, 2010<ref>{{Cite web|title=APS Member History|url=https://search.amphilsoc.org/memhist/search?creator=Fred+H.+Gage&title=&subject=&subdiv=&mem=&year=&year-max=&dead=&keyword=&smode=advanced|access-date=2021-04-16|website=search.amphilsoc.org}}</ref> *International Society for Stem Cell Research President, 2011-2012<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Salk Institute scientist garners international esteem on two continents |url=https://www.salk.edu/news-release/salk-institute-scientist-garners-international-esteem-on-two-continents/ |access-date=2023-05-23 |website=Salk Institute for Biological Studies |language=en}}</ref> *Cátedra Santiago Grisolia Award, 2011<ref name=":4" /> *George A. Miller Prize in Cognitive Neuroscience, 2013 *Paul G. Allen Family Foundation Allen Distinguished Investigator Award, 2015 *Infosys Prize Jury Member, 2015<ref>{{Cite web |title=Search - Infosys Prize |url=https://www.infosysprize.org/search.html?k=fred+gage |access-date=2023-05-23 |website=www.infosysprize.org}}</ref> *JCN-Wiley W. Maxwell Cowan Award in Developmental Neuroscience, 2017 *ARCS Foundation Scientist of the Year, 2018 *Salk Institute for Biological Studies President, 2018-2023<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fikes |first=Bradley J. |date=2019-01-04 |title=Salk Institute president Fred 'Rusty' Gage appointed to 5-year term |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/biotech/sd-fi-salk-fred-gage-president-20190104-story.html |access-date=2023-05-23 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref> *International Society for Stem Cell Research Achievement Award, 2020
==References== {{reflist}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20050217085034/http://www.salk.edu/faculty/faculty/details.php?id=23 Salk Institute page] * [https://www.rsrt.org/ Rett Syndrome Research Trust] *[https://logg.salk.edu Gage Lab Website]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gage, Fred}} Category:1950 births Category:Living people Category:American geneticists Category:Johns Hopkins University alumni Category:University of Florida alumni Category:Members of the United States National Academy of Sciences Category:Members of the American Philosophical Society Category:Salk Institute for Biological Studies people Category:Members of the National Academy of Medicine Category:Presidents of the Society for Neuroscience