Frank Uhlmann facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frank Uhlmann
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Frank Uhlmann in 2015, portrait via the Royal Society
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| Alma mater | University of Tübingen (PhD) |
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| Thesis | Reconstitution and characterisation of human replication factor C (1997) |
Frank Uhlmann is a leading scientist who works at the Francis Crick Institute in London. He is known for his important discoveries about how our cells work, especially how they divide and share their genetic material.
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Frank Uhlmann's Education
Frank Uhlmann studied at the University of Tübingen in Germany. He earned his PhD degree there in 1997. A PhD is a high-level university degree that shows someone is an expert in their field.
During his PhD studies, he also worked with another famous scientist, Jerard Hurwitz. This work took place at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.
Frank Uhlmann's Career
After finishing his PhD, Dr. Uhlmann moved to Vienna, Austria. There, he did more research at the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology. This type of research after a PhD is called postdoctoral research. He worked with a scientist named Kim Nasmyth.
In 2000, Dr. Uhlmann started his own laboratory in London. This lab was first part of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund, which is now known as Cancer Research UK. Later, his lab became part of the Francis Crick Institute, a very important research center in London.
Awards and Honours
Dr. Uhlmann has received several important awards for his scientific work.
Fellow of the Royal Society
In 2015, he was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very high honour for scientists in the United Kingdom. It means he is recognized for making a big difference in science.
His election certificate mentioned his discovery of something called 'separase'. This is a special protein that helps cells divide correctly. It cuts the links between parts of a chromosome, allowing them to separate. This is a key step in how cells multiply.
Understanding Cell Division
Dr. Uhlmann's research has greatly improved our understanding of how sister chromatids (identical copies of chromosomes) stick together and then separate. This process is vital for healthy cell division. He also mapped out where certain proteins attach to chromosomes, showing how they help package and separate our genetic material.
His work also showed how certain proteins, called cohesins, gather at specific spots on chromosomes in yeast cells. He found that these proteins interact with the cell's machinery for making copies of genes. He also discovered genes needed for these cohesins to work properly. One of these genes, EcoI, helps to "lock" cohesin onto DNA during DNA replication.
His studies also revealed that separase not only cuts cohesin but also helps cells finish dividing by activating another protein called Cdc14.
Other Awards
In 2006, Dr. Uhlmann became a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO). This is a group of top scientists in Europe who work on life sciences. In the same year, he was also given the EMBO Gold Medal. This award recognizes outstanding young scientists in Europe.
