Stephen Buratowski

Stephen Buratowski is the Hamilton Kuhn Professor of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at Harvard Medical School, where he leads an active research laboratory studying the mechanisms of eukaryotic gene expression. His research has significantly advanced our understanding of RNA polymerase II transcription and its connections to chromatin modifications and mRNA processing.

Dr. Buratowski's research focuses on three interconnected areas of gene expression: (A) the functions and interactions of RNA polymerase II basal transcription factors, (B) communication between chromatin and the transcription machinery, and (C) mRNA processing enzymes and their interactions with RNA polymerase II. His lab uses yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model system, employing biochemical, genetic, genomic, proteomic, and single-molecule approaches to dissect these complex processes.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals consistent focus on transcription mechanisms, particularly the CTD code (phosphorylation patterns of RNA polymerase II's C-terminal domain), transcription elongation and termination mechanisms, and the interplay between transcription and chromatin modifications. His work has established fundamental principles in how histone modifications are targeted to specific genomic regions through connections with the transcription machinery.

• Elected to the 2025 class of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
• Holds the prestigious Hamilton Kuhn Professorship, an endowed chair previously held by biochemistry giants including Chris Walsh, Gene Kennedy, Albert Baird Hastings, and Otto Folin

Dr. Buratowski has mentored numerous successful scientists throughout his career, with many former lab members now holding faculty positions at institutions worldwide. His laboratory maintains active collaborations with other researchers, including Jarrod Marto at DFCI/HMS for proteomics work and Jeff Gelles at Brandeis University for single-molecule microscopy studies. The lab continues to investigate fundamental mechanisms of gene expression using cutting-edge approaches, including single-molecule studies of RNA polymerase II transcription and proteomics of transcription initiation and elongation complexes.