Paul Nurse

File:Paul Nurse

Sir Paul Nurse

Born	25 January 1949
Birth place	Norwich, England
Nationality	British
Known for	Discovery of cell cycle regulatory proteins

Sir Paul Maxime Nurse (born 25 January 1949) is a British geneticist and cell biologist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2001 for his discoveries concerning the regulation of the cell cycle. He shared the prize with Leland H. Hartwell and Tim Hunt.

Early Life and Education

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

Research and Discoveries

Nurse's groundbreaking work on the cell cycle began during his postdoctoral research at the University of Edinburgh. He identified the gene cdc2 in S. pombe, which is crucial for the control of the cell cycle. This gene encodes a protein kinase that is a key regulator of the cell cycle, controlling the transition from G1 phase to S phase and from G2 phase to mitosis.

In 1987, Nurse discovered that the human homolog of cdc2, known as CDK1, plays a similar role in regulating the cell cycle in human cells. This discovery was pivotal in understanding how cell division is controlled and has implications for cancer research, as the cell cycle is often dysregulated in cancer cells.

Career

Paul Nurse has held several prestigious positions throughout his career. He was a professor at the University of Oxford and later became the Director-General of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund. In 2003, he became the President of Rockefeller University in New York City. In 2010, he was appointed as the first Director and Chief Executive of the Francis Crick Institute in London.

Awards and Honors

In addition to the Nobel Prize, Nurse has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to science. He was knighted in 1999 for his services to cancer research and cell biology. He is a fellow of the Royal Society and has received the Royal Medal and the Copley Medal.

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 education, often engaging with the public to promote scientific literacy.

Also see

• Cell cycle
• CDK1
• Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
• Francis Crick Institute
• Leland H. Hartwell
• Tim Hunt