2007-9-20

Leland H. Hartwell

R. Timothy Hunt

Paul M. Nurse

Prize: The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2001
Laureate: Leland H. Hartwell, R.Timothy Hunt, Paul M.Nurse
Achievement: For their discovery of the key molecular regulation mechanism of the cell cycle
Profile: The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2001 was given to the American scientist Leland H. Hartwell, British scientists R. Timothy Hunt and Paul M. Nurse for their discovery of the key molecular regulation mechanism of the cell cycle
All organisms compose of multiplied cells via cell division. An adult body has about 100 trillion cells which universally develop from one fertilized egg cell. A large number of cells in an adult organism generate new cells through constant division to replace those cell deaths.
The major contribution of the three scientists winning this year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was their joint efforts of the key molecule regulating the cell cycle in all eukaryotic cells. First, Leland H. Hartwell discovered a great number of genes determining the cell cycle, of which a gene called "START" played a crucial role in regulating the initial period of each cell cycle. Based on Hartwell's job, Paul M. Nurse worked out a key substance CDK (Cyclin Dependent Kinase), which could drive the cell cycle via chemical reactions with other proteins, so as to regulate the cell cycle with the gene and molecular method. And R. Timothy Hunt's contribution was his first discovery of CYCLIN regulating CDK.
The discoveries of Hartwell, Nurse and Hunt had a significant influence on studying cell development, especially in exploiting new methods of treating cancel, because defects arising in the process of cell cycle regulation could lead to chromosome variation of cancel cells.