Harvard University’s Catherine Dulac Awarded the $3 Million Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences

Catherine Dulac, the Lee and Ezpeleta Professor of Arts and Sciences and the Higgins Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard University, has been awarded a 2021 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences for her pioneering work identifying the neural circuitry that regulates parenting behavior in both males and females.

Now in its ninth year, the Breakthrough Prize was created to celebrate consequential work of the world’s top scientists and to inspire future researchers. The $3 million awards are among the field’s top recognition in mathematics and fundamental physics, as well as the life sciences.

Christopher Stubbs, dean of science at Harvard, stated that “I’m thrilled to see Professor Dulac’s outstanding contributions be recognized with the prestigious Breakthrough Prize. Her ability to bring diverse techniques to bear on important problems that link neurons to behavior is truly remarkable. We celebrate this well-deserved recognition of her skill, her insight, and her scientific depth.”

Dr. Dulac joined the faculty at Harvard University in 1996. She is also an investigator for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Professor Dulac earned a Ph.D. in developmental biology at the University of Paris.