Alwyn Jones (biophysicist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alwyn Jones
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| Born |
Thomas Alywn Jones
30 August 1947 Wales
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| Alma mater | King's College London |
| Known for | Methods development for X-ray crystallography, such as interpretation of electron density maps |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Structure validation, biophysics |
| Institutions | Uppsala University |
| Thesis | (BSc 1969; PhD 1973) |
Thomas Alwyn Jones (born in 1947) is a famous Welsh scientist. He is a biophysicist, which means he studies how living things work using physics. He is also a professor at Uppsala University in Sweden.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Alwyn Jones grew up in Wales. He went to primary school in Bedlinog. Later, he attended the Lewis School, Pengam. He then studied at King's College London. There, he earned degrees in physics and biochemistry.
Career and Discoveries
Alwyn Jones started his career in Germany. He worked at the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry. In 1979, he moved to Uppsala, Sweden. He became a research professor there. Since 1994, he has been a Professor of Structural Biology. This field looks at the tiny structures of living things.
Understanding Molecules with X-rays
Professor Jones is best known for his work with x-ray crystallography. This is a special way to find out the exact shape of tiny molecules. Scientists use X-rays to create a map of the molecule. This map is called an electron density map.
It's like taking a blurry picture of something very small. Professor Jones created computer programs to make these blurry pictures clear. His first program was called Frodo. Later, he made an even better one called O. These programs help scientists see the exact 3D shape of molecules. This is very important for understanding how they work.
Solving Protein Structures
Using his methods, Professor Jones has helped figure out the shapes of many proteins. Proteins are like tiny machines inside our bodies. Knowing their shapes helps us understand diseases and create new medicines. He has shared information on over 126 protein structures. These are stored in a big database called the Protein Data Bank.
Awards and Recognition
Professor Jones has received many important awards. In 1992, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK. In 2000, he joined the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. He also won the Gregori Aminoff Prize in 2003. This award was for his amazing work on interpreting electron density maps. He also received the Lindo Patterson Award in 2005.
Today, Professor Jones continues his work at Uppsala University. His discoveries have greatly helped scientists around the world.
