Michael N. Hall

Michael Nip Hall (born 12 June 1953) is an American-Swiss molecular biologist and Professor at the Biozentrum of the University of Basel, Switzerland. He is known for his research on the TOR protein.

Early life and education Hall was born in Puerto Rico. His family moved to Peru when he was 3, and relocated to Venezuela shortly after. He moved to the United States at age 13 and attended St. Mark's School in Southborough, Massachusetts. He became a principal investigator in 1984. He received a promotion to Professor in 1992. He serves on the board of trustees of the Louis-Jeantet Foundation.

Research Hall researches the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and cell growth control. He identified the protein kinase Tor (also known as mTOR). He named the genes TOR1 and TOR2 for "Target of Rapamycin".

Stuart Schreiber identified the mammalian counterpart of TOR 3 years later and named it "mammalian target of rapamycin" (mTOR). The protein was later renamed "mechanistic target of rapamycin", retaining the mTOR abbreviation; both mTOR and TOR are now used to describe the protein across all organisms.

The TOR (or mTOR) gene encodes a protein kinase activated by growth factors like insulin, available nutrients, and cellular energy in the form of ATP, functioning to control cell growth and metabolism. TOR protein dysregulation is implicated in aging and pathologies including cancer, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Hall studies TOR/mTOR regulation in yeasts and humans. His laboratory discovered that TOR proteins form two functionally and compositionally distinct protein complexes (TORC1 and TORC2). They demonstrated the mammalian counterpart of TORC2 (mTORC2) resists rapamycin inhibition and regulates a signaling pathway distinct from mTORC1.

Hall's research group identified distinct functions for TORC1 and TORC2. mTORC1 activates nucleotide synthesis and is stimulated by glutamine breakdown; mTORC2 promotes lipid synthesis and tumorigenesis. Hall collaborated with Nenad Ban and Timm Maier to report the structures of mTORC1 in 2016 and mTORC2 in 2018.

Awards and honors

1995 - Member of the European Molecular Biology Organization 2003 – Cloëtta Prize 2009 – Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science 2009 – Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine 2012 – Marcel Benoist Prize 2013 – Member of the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences 2014 – Sir Hans Krebs Medal 2014 – Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences 2014 – Member of the National Academy of Sciences 2016 – Debrecen Award for Molecular Medicine 2017 – Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research 2019 – BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award 2020 – Sjöberg Prize 2023 – Grande Médaille, French Academy of Sciences. 2024 – Balzan Prize for Biological Mechanisms of Ageing.