World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
Nahum Sonenberg

Nahum Sonenberg

Award Badge
Best Scientists
2025
Award Badge
Biology and Biochemistry
Canada
2026

D-Index & Metrics

Best Scientists

D-Index
201
Citations
154082
World Ranking
285
National Ranking
7

Biology and Biochemistry

D-Index
202
Citations
157767
World Ranking
32
National Ranking
2

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2026 - Research.com Biology and Biochemistry in Canada Leader Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Best Scientists Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Biology and Biochemistry in Canada Leader Award
  • 2023 - Research.com Biology and Biochemistry in Canada Leader Award
  • 2022 - Research.com Biology and Biochemistry in Canada Leader Award
  • 2015 - Member of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM)
  • 2015 - Member of the National Academy of Sciences
  • 2012 - Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
  • 2008 - Canada Gairdner International Award
  • 2006 - Fellow of the Royal Society, United Kingdom
  • 2006 - Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
  • 2005 - Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Prize, Canada Council
  • 2002 - Robert L. Noble Prize, Canadian Cancer Society
  • 1992 - Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada Academy of Science

Overview

Nahum Sonenberg is affiliated with McGill University in Canada and conducts research primarily in the field of Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology. Their work spans 181 publications, with significant contributions in Molecular Biology, Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience, Immunology, Genetics, and Neurology.

The main research topics covered in their publications include:

  • PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling in cancer
  • RNA Research and Splicing
  • RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
  • RNA regulation and disease
  • Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Receptor Mechanisms and Signaling
  • RNA modifications and cancer

Frequent co-authors in their research efforts are:

  • Mehdi Amiri (20 publications)
  • Seyed Mehdi Jafarnejad (18 publications)
  • Jean-Claude Lacaille (16 publications)
  • Niaz Mahmood (16 publications)
  • Arkady Khoutorsky (14 publications)

Key publication venues where Nahum Sonenberg has published multiple works include:

  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (14 publications)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (14 publications)
  • Nature Communications (5 publications)
  • Cell Reports (5 publications)
  • Nucleic Acids Research (4 publications)

Selected recent papers exemplify the range and focus of their research:

  • Metformin inhibits RAN translation through PKR pathway and mitigates disease in C9orf72 ALS/FTD mice, 2020, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
  • eIF2α controls memory consolidation via excitatory and somatostatin neurons, 2020, Nature
  • Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) promotes social behavior through mTORC1 in the excitatory neurotransmission, 2021, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
  • Antidepressant actions of ketamine engage cell-specific translation via eIF4E, 2020, Nature
  • Autism-Misregulated eIF4G Microexons Control Synaptic Translation and Higher Order Cognitive Functions, 2020, Molecular Cell

The scientist has been recognized with several awards and fellowships over their career, including:

  • Member of the National Academy of Sciences (2015)
  • Member of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) (2015)
  • Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) (2012)
  • Canada Gairdner International Award (2008)
  • Fellow of the Royal Society, United Kingdom (2006)
  • Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2006)
  • Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Prize, Canada Council (2005)
  • Robert L. Noble Prize, Canadian Cancer Society (2002)
  • Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (1992)

Best Publications

  • Mechanisms of post-transcriptional regulation by microRNAs: are the answers in sight?

    Witold Filipowicz;Suvendra N. Bhattacharyya;Nahum Sonenberg

  • Upstream and downstream of mTOR

    Nissim Hay;Nahum Sonenberg

  • Regulation of Translation Initiation in Eukaryotes: Mechanisms and Biological Targets

    Nahum Sonenberg;Alan G. Hinnebusch

  • Regulation of mRNA Translation and Stability by microRNAs

    Marc Robert Fabian;Nahum Sonenberg;Witold Filipowicz

  • eIF4 Initiation Factors: Effectors of mRNA Recruitment to Ribosomes and Regulators of Translation

    Anne-Claude Gingras;Brian Raught;Nahum Sonenberg

  • Internal initiation of translation of eukaryotic mRNA directed by a sequence derived from poliovirus RNA

    Jerry Pelletier;Nahum Sonenberg

  • Translational control of gene expression

    Nahum Sonenberg;John W. B. Hershey;Michael B. Mathews

  • Regulation of translation initiation by FRAP/mTOR

    Anne-Claude Gingras;Brian Raught;Nahum Sonenberg

  • Translational control in stress and apoptosis

    Martin Holcik;Nahum Sonenberg

  • Regulation of 4E-BP1 phosphorylation: a novel two-step mechanism

    Anne-Claude Gingras;Steven P. Gygi;Brian Raught;Roberto D. Polakiewicz

  • Insulin-dependent stimulation of protein synthesis by phosphorylation of a regulator of 5'-cap function

    Arnim Pause;Graham J. Belsham;Anne Claude Gingras;Olivier Donzé

  • Metformin is an AMP Kinase-Dependent Growth Inhibitor for Breast Cancer Cells

    Mahvash Zakikhani;Ryan Dowling;I George Fantus;Nahum Sonenberg

  • XBP1, downstream of Blimp-1, expands the secretory apparatus and other organelles, and increases protein synthesis in plasma cell differentiation.

    A.L Shaffer;Miriam Shapiro-Shelef;Neal N Iwakoshi;Ann-Hwee Lee

  • Malignant transformation by a eukaryotic initiation factor subunit that binds to mRNA 5' cap

    Anthoula Lazaris-Karatzas;Kathleen S. Montine;Nahum Sonenberg

  • Regulation of cap-dependent translation by eIF4E inhibitory proteins

    Joel D. Richter;Nahum Sonenberg

  • The mechanics of miRNA-mediated gene silencing: a look under the hood of miRISC

    Marc R Fabian;Nahum Sonenberg

  • 4E-BP1, a repressor of mRNA translation, is phosphorylated and inactivated by the Akt(PKB) signaling pathway

    Anne Claude Gingras;Scott G. Kennedy;Maura A. O'Leary;Nahum Sonenberg

  • Hierarchical phosphorylation of the translation inhibitor 4E-BP1

    Anne-Claude Gingras;Brian Raught;Steven P. Gygi;Steven P. Gygi;Anna Niedzwiecka

  • Metformin Inhibits Mammalian Target of Rapamycin–Dependent Translation Initiation in Breast Cancer Cells

    Ryan J.O. Dowling;Mahvash Zakikhani;I. George Fantus;Michael Pollak

  • Exploiting tumor-specific defects in the interferon pathway with a previously unknown oncolytic virus.

    David F. Stojdl;Brian Lichty;Shane Knowles;Ricardo Marius

Frequent Co-Authors

Anne-Claude Gingras
Anne-Claude Gingras Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute
Yuri V. Svitkin
Yuri V. Svitkin McGill University
Jerry Pelletier
Jerry Pelletier McGill University
Ivan Topisirovic
Ivan Topisirovic McGill University
Ola Larsson
Ola Larsson Science for Life Laboratory
Brian Raught
Brian Raught Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Paul Lasko
Paul Lasko McGill University
Arnim Pause
Arnim Pause McGill University
John W. B. Hershey
John W. B. Hershey University of California, Davis
Stephen K. Burley
Stephen K. Burley Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

If you think any of the details on this page are incorrect, let us know.

Report an issue

We appreciate your kind effort to assist us to improve this page, it would be helpful providing us with as much detail as possible in the text box below:

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

If you’re studying Biology or Biochemistry in the USA, there are numerous related online degrees and growing career opportunities in the health sciences. Roles such as medical coding and health information management are in high demand, offering stable career paths and remote work flexibility. If you’re curious about compensation, you can learn more about medical coder salary trends and earning potential.

A common question for those considering this field is: is medical coding a good job? It’s important to weigh the flexibility, competitive salaries, and job security versus the detail-oriented nature of the work.

If you’d like to pursue a degree online, consider looking into the online health information management degree options that can prepare you for technology-driven roles in healthcare.

For those interested in dietetics or public health, earning a masters in nutrition online can open doors to specialized positions in hospitals, research, or wellness organizations. These pathways build on your foundation in biology and biochemistry, making them practical next steps for career advancement.

Best Scientists Citing Nahum Sonenberg

Trending Scientists

Recently Published Articles