Historically, Morrison County, Minnesota, has been known for its rural character. Its communities have focused primarily on manufacturing and agriculture, so it can come as a surprise when a person born and raised here strikes out into the wider world and makes notable achievements in other fields.
Dr. Brian Kobilka grew up in Little Falls, the county seat of Morrison County. His father Frank was a baker who owned and operated the Sanitary Bakery. As a boy, Dr. Kobilka enjoyed cycling and cross-country. From these humble beginnings, he went on to win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2012 with Dr. Robert Lefkowitz. Their Nobel Prize work involved the study of G protein-coupled receptors. Advances in this area are critical to the development of pharmaceuticals for medical conditions related to numerous human organ systems.
Dr. Kobilka, who runs Kobilka Lab and is a professor of molecular and cellular physiology at Stanford University in California, will be returning to Little Falls on Monday, September 19, 2016, to appear as the guest speaker for the Morrison County Historical Society’s annual meeting event. During the program, which starts at 7 p.m., Dr. Kobilka will make a presentation on his research, after which he will be interviewed regarding how growing up in Morrison County influenced his work.
Questions will be taken from the audience following the interview. An informal reception will round out the event, which will take place at the Charles D. Martin Auditorium at the Little Falls Community High School.
Tickets may be purchased online from the Morrison County Historical Society at https://squareup.com/store/morrison-county-historical-society. Or they can be purchased at The Charles A. Weyerhaeuser Memorial Museum, 2151 Lindbergh Drive South, Little Falls, MN. Ticket prices are $10 for adults, $5 for students, and $5 for members of the Morrison County Historical Society. The event is free for children 5 and younger, but contact MCHS if a seat needs to be reserved.
This program is sponsored by the Morrison County Historical Society and Waller House Bed & Breakfast.
For more information, call 320-632-4007.