Ernest Wright
June 8, 1940 - January 19, 2026
Ernest Wright was a cell physiologist whose research focused on the structure and function of cotransporters—specialized proteins that transport substances into cells. His work aimed to understand how cells transport sugars, amino acids, and signaling molecules. He also studied how mutations in cotransporters can lead to diseases and how understanding the underlying mechanisms may lead to new treatments.
He developed expression cloning, an effective technique for generating copies of proteins such as cotransporters to study them. Among his other achievements, he became the first to identify mutations in a transporter protein. He also co-invented a new electron microscopy technique that improved researchers' ability to determine the structures of transporters.
Ernest served as Professor of Physiology at the University of California, Los Angeles, and published several key papers in the field of cell physiology. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society and the Biophysical Society, as well as a member of the German Academy of Sciences (Leopoldina) and the US National Academy of Sciences.
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