EDITOR'S NOTE: This profile of Mario Capecchi originally ran June 29, 2003.

Mario Capecchi's life is rich with focus, honor and love — three traits he didn't see much of as a very young child raising himself on the streets of Italy during World War II.

At the core of the life he has built for himself is science — specifically molecular biology and human genetics — which contain elements of all three traits, with plenty of creative thinking thrown in. It is in that scientific realm that the soft-spoken co-director of the genetics institute and professor of genetics and biology at the University of Utah has made his mark.

It's a mark that includes some of the highest accolades the world has to offer a scientist, including the 2003 Wolf Prize from Israel, the 2003 International Award for Cancer Research from the Pezcoller Foundation and the American Association for Cancer Research, the 1996 Kyoto Prize in Basic Science from Japan, the 2001 Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research and the 2001 National Medal of Science from President George W. Bush. The list goes on and on.

Mention "gene targeting" and Capecchi's name comes up. When a researcher studies a disease by knocking out or inserting specific genes in a mouse, some of the honor belongs to Capecchi's lab, where the technique was pioneered. When he applied in 1980 for a grant, the National Institutes of Health called the idea "not worthy of pursuit." Four years later, when he'd proved it could be done, a critique of a new proposal noted, "We are glad you didn't follow our advice."

Less familiar to his admirers is the "basically shy" man who loves Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, who microinjects cells to very, very loud Patsy Cline, who likes food and exercise in equal portions, is fond of horses but not of riding them and lives with his wife and two dogs, three cats and a bird.

It is his sense of honor, rather than honors, that define the man, according to those who know him best.

"I don't think (the awards have) changed him," says Laurie Fraser, Capecchi's wife of 20 years. "I think he has so many goals for himself for the future. I think he has a hard time staying in the present and actually enjoying some of the happiness the awards have brought him.

"I think he'd be the first to say he came into science at a time when it was starting to expand. I think he recognizes the people coming into science today have a much tougher road. When he came in, the stage was set for work to be done. Not as many people were in molecular biology."

That's not to say he has no ego, she adds. "He's not puffed up, but I'd say he's got a strong ego. He's proud and sure of what he wants to do in the future. He's not into status symbols, but I'd say that scientifically he's self-assured."