Paul Nurse

File:Paul Nurse

Paul Nurse

Paul Nurse (born 25 January 1949) is a British geneticist and cell biologist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2001, along with Leland H. Hartwell and Tim Hunt, for their discoveries of key regulators of the cell cycle. He is currently the Chief Executive and Director of the Francis Crick Institute.

Early Life and Education

Paul Nurse was born in Norwich, England. He attended Harwich County High School and later studied biology at the University of Birmingham, where he received his BSc degree in 1970. He completed his PhD at the University of East Anglia in 1973, focusing on the cell cycle of the yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

Career and Research

After completing his PhD, Nurse conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Bern and the University of Edinburgh. In 1984, he joined the Imperial Cancer Research Fund (now part of Cancer Research UK), where he continued his groundbreaking work on the cell cycle.

Nurse's research has primarily focused on the molecular mechanisms that regulate the cell cycle. His work on the yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe led to the identification of the gene cdc2, which is crucial for the control of the cell cycle. This discovery was pivotal in understanding how cells divide and has had significant implications for cancer research.

Awards and Honors

In addition to the Nobel Prize, Paul Nurse has received numerous awards and honors, including:

• The Royal Medal (1995)
• The Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research (1998)
• The Copley Medal (2005)

He was knighted in 1999 for his services to cell biology and cancer research.

Leadership Roles

Paul Nurse has held several prominent leadership positions in the scientific community. He served as the President of the Royal Society from 2010 to 2015. He was also the President of the Rockefeller University in New York City from 2003 to 2011. Currently, he is the Chief Executive and Director of the Francis Crick Institute, a leading biomedical research center in London.

Personal Life

Paul Nurse is married to Anne Teresa Talbott, and they have two children. He is known for his passion for science communication and has been an advocate for public engagement with science.

See Also

• Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
• Cell cycle
• Cancer research
• Francis Crick Institute