Sharp's current research focuses on small RNAs and other types ofnon-coding RNAs. His laboratory works to identify the targetmRNAs ofmicroRNAs (miRNAs), and has discovered a class of miRNAs that are produced from sequences adjacent totranscription start sites. His laboratory also studies how miRNAgene regulation functions inangiogenesis and cellular stress.[9][10][11][12]
Sharp was born inFalmouth, Kentucky, the son of Kathrin (Colvin) and Joseph Walter Sharp.[13] He married Ann Holcombe in 1964, and they have three daughters.[14]
In 1974, he was offered a position atMIT by biologistSalvador Luria.[16] He was director of MIT's Center for Cancer Research (now theKoch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research) from 1985 to 1991; head of the Biology department from 1991 to 1999; and founder and director of theMcGovern Institute for Brain Research from 2000 to 2004.[15] In 1995, the FBI confirmed that Sharp received a letter fromTed Kaczynski, insinuating that Sharp would become a target of theUnabomber because of his work in genetics, stating that "it would be beneficial to your health to stop your research in genetics."[17]
He is currently MIT Institute Professor and Professor of Biology Emeritus and member of theKoch Institute, and was anInstitute Professor, MIT's highest faculty rank, since 1999.[15] He is also the chair of the advisory board of theMIT Jameel Clinic.[18][19] Sharp co-foundedBiogen,Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, and Magen Biosciences, and has served on the boards of all three companies.[20]
In October 2010, Sharp participated in theUSA Science and Engineering Festival's Lunch with a Laureate program where middle and high school students got to engage in an informal conversation with a Nobel Prize-winning scientist over a brown-bag lunch.[33] Sharp is also a member of theUSA Science and Engineering Festival's Advisory Board.[34] In 2011, he was listed at #5 on theMIT150 list of the top 150 innovators and ideas fromMIT.[35]
He is an editorial advisor toXconomy,[36] and is a member of the Board of Scientific Governors atThe Scripps Research Institute.[37] He has also served on the Faculty Advisory Board of the MIT-Harvard Research Journal and MIT Student Research Association.[15]
Neilson J.R.; Sharp P.A. (April 2005). "Herpesviruses Throw a Curve Ball: New Insights into microRNA Biogenesis and Evolution".Nat Methods.2 (4):252–4.doi:10.1038/nmeth0405-252.PMID15782215.S2CID930447.
Sharp P.A.; Sharp, P (January 1, 2005). "Phillip Sharp Discusses RNAi, Nobel Prizes and Entrepreneurial Science".Drug Discov Today.10 (1):7–10.doi:10.1016/S1359-6446(04)03329-X.PMID15676292.
Lee K.B.; Sharp P.A. (December 7, 2004). "Transcription-dependent Polyubiquitination of RNA Polymerase II Requires Lysine 63 of Ubiquitin".Biochemistry.43 (48):15223–9.doi:10.1021/bi048719x.PMID15568815.
^Sharp, P. A.; Sharp, P (2005). "Phillip Sharp discusses RNAi, Nobel Prizes and entrepreneurial science".Drug Discovery Today.10 (1):7–10.doi:10.1016/S1359-6446(04)03329-X.PMID15676292.
^Furthermore, Sharp participates in the Distinguished Lecture Series of the annualResearch Science Institute (RSI), a summer research program for high school students held at MIT.AdvisorsArchived April 21, 2010, at theWayback Machine. usasciencefestival.org
Meet Phillip Sharp:"What we were able to discover was that in human cells and in many other cells of higher-order organisms, the genes come in discontinuous segments",MIT
