225 years of Tar Heels: Oliver Smithies

Posted Nov 8, 2018
When world-renowned geneticist Oliver Smithies got the call that he had won a Nobel Prize at age 82, his first reaction was joy. His second was to hope that the award would not change his life too much. “I rather enjoy it as it is,” he said the day his award was announced. Before his passing in January 2017, Smithies was known to say that his lab at Carolina was his home. (UNC.edu)

Related: Campus Connections

UNC-Chapel Hill announces plans to develop campus extension in Carolina North
UNC is proud to announce the development of a new campus extension in Carolina North, a generational investment in its academic mission, public impact, and...
Wed Jan 21, 2026

He's Not Here postcard mural sends visitors lasting scenes of Chapel Hill's charm
In 2013, local Chapel Hill artist and UNC graduate Scott Nurkin completed the iconic Chapel Hill postcard mural by the back entrance of He’s Not...
Wed Jan 21, 2026

Two UNC Alums Earn Forbes 30 Under 30 Nods
Two University of North Carolina graduates, media entrepreneur Anne Marie Hagerty ’18 and tech innovator Sheel Patel ’24, were named to the 2026 Forbes 30...
Wed Jan 21, 2026

UNC startups create $8 billion in yearly economic impact
UNC-affiliated startups and commercialization activities generated nearly $8 billion in economic impact across North Carolina over the past year, according to the University’s innovation and...
Mon Jan 19, 2026