Professor at Geisinger Commonwealth contributed to research that led to the 2017 Nobel Prize in Medicine

A professor of biochemistry at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (Geisinger Commonwealth) contributed to research that led to the Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded Oct. 2 to three U.S. researchers. The prize was awarded to Jeffrey Hall at the University of Maine, Michael Rosbash at Brandeis University and Michael Young at the Rockefeller University for their decades-long work on the circadian clock.

A scientific article published in the journal Cell, listing William Zehring, PhD, professor of biochemistry at Geisinger Commonwealth, as first author, was recognized as a “key publication” by the Nobel Prize committee. The article cited was P-element transformation with period locus DNA restores rhythmicity to mutant arrhythmic Drosophila melanogaster. The article identified a specific portion of the fruit fly’s DNA that controls rhythmic behaviors analogous to sleep and wakefulness, among others. This research was a critical step in verifying that scientists were working with the correct DNA sequence that restored rhythmicity to fruit flies lacking that capability due to a genetic mutation.

About Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (Geisinger Commonwealth) is a member of the Geisinger family. Geisinger Commonwealth offers a community-based model of medical education with campuses in Danville, Doylestown, Scranton, Sayre and Wilkes-Barre. Geisinger Commonwealth offers Doctor of Medicine (MD) and Master of Biomedical Sciences (MBS) degrees. The school’s innovative curriculum, focused on caring for people in the context of their lives and their community, attracts the next generation of physicians and scientists from within its region in northeastern and central Pennsylvania, as well as from across the state and the nation. The school also has over 440 graduate medical students in 24 residency programs and 19 accredited fellowships. Geisinger Commonwealth is committed to non-discrimination in all employment and educational opportunities. For more information, visit www.geisinger.edu/gcsom, or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

About Geisinger
Geisinger is among the nation’s leading providers of value-based care, serving 1.2 million people in urban and rural communities across Pennsylvania. Founded in 1915 by philanthropist Abigail Geisinger, the non-profit system generates $10 billion in annual revenues across 134 care sites - including 10 hospital campuses, and Geisinger Health Plan, with 600,000 members in commercial and government plans. The Geisinger College of Health Sciences educates more than 5,000 medical professionals annually and conducts more than 1,400 clinical research studies. With 26,000 employees, including 1,600 employed physicians, Geisinger is among Pennsylvania’s largest employers with an estimated economic impact of $14 billion to the state’s economy. On March 31, 2024, Geisinger became the first member of Risant Health, a new nonprofit charitable organization created to expand and accelerate value-based care across the country.  Learn more at geisinger.org or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.