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Jonathon Pines

FRS FMedSci
Dr Jonathon Pines FRS (cropped).jpg
Pines in 2016
Born
Jonathon Noë Joseph Pines

(1961-10-11) 11 October 1961 (age 63)
Alma mater University of Cambridge (BA, PhD)
Awards EMBO Member (2001)
Scientific career
Fields
Institutions
Thesis Cyclin: a major maternal message in sea urchin eggs (1987)
Doctoral advisor Tim Hunt
Other academic advisors Anthony R. Hunter
Doctoral students Viji Draviam

Jonathon Noë Joseph Pines (born on October 11, 1961) is a leading scientist. He studies how cells grow and divide. He is currently the Head of the Cancer Biology Division at the Institute of Cancer Research in London. Before this, he worked at the Gurdon Institute at the University of Cambridge.

His Journey in Science

Jonathon Pines studied at the University of Cambridge. He earned his PhD in 1987. His research focused on a special protein called cyclin in sea urchin eggs. His supervisor was Tim Hunt, who later won a Nobel Prize.

After getting his PhD, Pines worked as a researcher at the Salk Institute in California. He then moved to the Gurdon Institute at the University of Cambridge. In 2015, he joined the Institute of Cancer Research.

Understanding Cells and Cancer

Professor Pines's research looks into how cells divide. This process is called the cell cycle and mitosis. He studies special proteins called cyclins. These proteins help control when cells divide.

He was one of the first to use fluorescent tags. These are like tiny glowing labels. They help scientists watch how these important proteins move and change inside living cells.

His discoveries have shown that cell division is very carefully controlled. Specific proteins are removed at different times. This helps make sure cells divide correctly. His work helps us understand how problems in cell division can lead to diseases like cancer.

Since 2020, Professor Pines has been the main editor for Open Biology. This is a science journal from the Royal Society.

Awards and Special Recognitions

Jonathon Pines has received many honors for his important work.

In 2001, he became a member of the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO). This is a group of top scientists in Europe.

In 2005, he was made a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci). This means he is recognized as a leader in medical science. The Academy noted his key discoveries in the cell cycle field. They said his work opened new areas of research.

He was praised for cloning the first 'cyclin' protein. This was during his PhD studies. This discovery was very important for understanding cell division. He also found the first human cyclins. This showed how important cyclins are for all living things.

Pines also found a link between cyclins and proteins that can cause cancer. This discovery led to a lot of new research. He also pioneered using special microscopes to watch cell division in real-time. This helped him see how proteins move inside cells.

In 2016, Jonathon Pines was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is one of the highest honors for scientists in the United Kingdom.

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