Officer of the Order of Canada

• Awarded on: May 6, 2010
• Invested on: May 27, 2011

Nahum Sonenberg has greatly advanced the understanding of molecular biology and genetics. For over 35 years, he has studied and identified the molecular basis for protein synthesis. His groundbreaking analysis of the way genetic information in our DNA is turned into proteins has opened the door to new treatment strategies for a wide range of diseases, including cancer and viral infections. He is the James McGill Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at McGill University and at the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Research Centre. A fellow of both the Royal Society of Canada and the Royal Society of London, he is the recipient of the Gairdner Foundation International Award and the Killam Prize for Health Sciences.