Denis Noble facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Denis Noble
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| Born | 16 November 1936 |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Emanuel School |
| Alma mater | University College London (BSc, MA, PhD) |
| Spouse(s) |
Susan Jennifer Barfield
(m. 1965) |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields |
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| Institutions | Balliol College, University of Oxford |
| Thesis | Ion conductance of cardiac muscle (1961) |
| Doctoral advisor | Otto Hutter |
Denis Noble (born 16 November 1936) is a famous British physiologist and biologist. He taught at the University of Oxford for many years. He is known as one of the first scientists to work in systems biology.
In 1960, he created the first working mathematical model of the heart. He also started a project called The Third Way of Evolution (TWE). This project suggests that our current understanding of evolution might need big changes.
Contents
Studying the Heart
Noble went to Emanuel School and University College London (UCL). In 1958, he started studying how the heart beats. This led to two important papers in the journal Nature in 1960.
These papers showed the first computer model of the heart's electrical rhythm. He worked more on this with Richard Tsien in 1975 and Dario DiFrancesco in 1985. These studies are key to how we understand the heart's electrical activity today.
His work showed that the heart's beat isn't controlled by one single part. Instead, it's an emergent property. This means it comes from many parts working together in a complex way. In 1961, he earned his PhD degree from UCL.
Amazing Research
Noble's research uses computer models of body organs and systems. He uses these models to understand how our bodies work, from tiny molecules to the whole organism. His team has even used supercomputers to create the first "virtual heart."
He helped launch the Physiome Project. This is an international effort to use computer models to understand the genome. The genome is like the instruction book for our bodies.
Noble also thinks deeply about biology. He has written books like The Music of Life and Dance to the Tune of Life. These books challenge common ideas in biology. They question the idea that information only flows one way in living things.
Understanding Life's Systems
In his 2006 book, The Music of Life, Noble talks about systems biology. He doesn't agree with the idea that our genes control everything about us. He says that genes work together in groups and systems. He compares the genome to a set of organ pipes, not a simple "blueprint for life."
He explains that in biology, things often work in feedback loops. This means that different levels of a system affect each other. He believes we shouldn't think one level of understanding is more important than others.
Noble suggests that the way we think about how genes cause things in biology is "confused." He says we need new ways of thinking. This will help us understand how many factors work together to create how our bodies function.
The Third Way of Evolution
Noble believes we need a new way to understand evolution. He calls this "The Third Way of Evolution" (TWE). He started this project with James A. Shapiro in 2014.
He argues that some changes we get during life can be passed down. This is different from older ideas about evolution. He also says that genetic changes are not always random or slow.
The TWE group offers a "Third Way" that is different from both creationism and the older ideas of evolution. They believe the current understanding of evolution will be replaced. They point to things like how living things change to fit their environment. They also look at how things are passed down that are not just genes.
However, some scientists think it's unlikely that the current understanding of evolution will be completely replaced. They say there hasn't been much sign of such a big change happening.
Key Ideas in Systems Biology
Noble has suggested Ten Principles for Systems Biology:
- Living things work at many different levels.
- Information doesn't just flow one way in living systems.
- DNA is not the only thing that passes on traits.
- There's no single "main" cause in biology.
- Understanding genes needs higher-level knowledge.
- There is no "genetic program" that controls everything.
- There are no programs at any other level either.
- There are no programs in the brain.
- The "self" is not a simple object.
- Many more principles are still to be found. A true "theory of biology" doesn't exist yet.
Career Highlights
Denis Noble has had a long and important career. Here are some of his key roles:
- 1961–1963: Assistant lecturer in Physiology, University College London.
- 1963–1984: Fellow and tutor, Balliol College, Oxford.
- 1967–2024: Editor-in-Chief of Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology.
- 1984–2004: Burdon Sanderson Professor of Cardiovascular Physiology, Oxford University.
- From 2004: Emeritus Professor of Cardiovascular Physiology, Oxford University.
- From 2004: Director of Computational Physiology, Oxford.
- 2009–2017: President, International Union of Physiological Sciences.
- From 2014: Member and co-founder of The Third Way of Evolution.
Publications
Noble has written over 700 articles in science journals. He has also written or edited many books, including:
- The Initiation of the Heartbeat (1975)
- The Music of Life, Biology beyond the genome (2006)
- Dance to the Tune of Life. Biological Relativity (2016)
- Understanding Living Systems (2023)
Awards and Honours
Noble has received many awards and honours for his work.
- In 1979, he was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honour for scientists in the UK.
- He was made an Honorary Member of the Royal College of Physicians in 1988.
- In 1998, he was awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire).
- He has received honorary doctorates from several universities.
- In 2022, he received the Lomonosov Gold Medal, a top award from the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Personal Life
Denis Noble was born in London in 1936. His parents were tailors.
He enjoys playing classical guitar. He also sings traditional folk songs from the Occitan region of France. He can lecture in several languages, including French, Italian, Japanese, and Korean.
