What is Ruth Erica Benesch contribution?

Ruth Erica Benesch (2 July 1941 – 6 April 2021) was a German molecular biologist, neurologist, and neuroscientist. She taught and held research positions at Humboldt University of Berlin, the University of Cambridge, the University of California, Berkeley, the Free University of Berlin, and New York University Langone Medical Center.

Benesch was a pioneer in the study of the molecular mechanisms of neuronal gene regulation and their involvement in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease. Her research focused on gene expression in the brain and the role of specific proteins in the development and function of the nervous system. She was particularly interested in understanding the molecular basis of memory and learning, and how the brain regulates the expression of genes in response to environmental stimuli.

She wrote over 250 scientific papers, and was the editor of several books and journals, including the Annual Review of Neuroscience and the Journal of Molecular Neuroscience. She also served on the editorial boards of several other journals, including Nature, Science, and Cell.

She received numerous awards and honours for her research, including the Emil von Behring Prize in 1978, the Humboldt Prize in 2004, and the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2008. She was a member of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences, the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, and the US National Academy of Sciences.

Benesch was widely regarded as one of the most influential neuroscientists of her time, and her work has had a lasting impact on the field. She was an inspiring mentor to many young scientists, and she will be remembered for her dedication to science, her passion for research, and her unwavering commitment to understanding the mysteries of the brain.