Karen Vousden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Karen Vousden
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|---|---|
| Born | 19 July 1957 |
| Alma mater | Queen Mary and Westfield College |
| Known for | Work on p53 tumour suppressor protein and Mdm2 protein |
| Spouse(s) |
Robert Ludwig
(m. 1986) |
| Awards | |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Cancer |
| Institutions |
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| Thesis | Use of suppressor gene mutations to study transfer RNA redundancy in Coprinus' (1982) |
Karen Heather Vousden (born 19 July 1957) is a British medical researcher. She is famous for her important work on a protein called p53. This protein helps stop cancer from growing. She also discovered how another protein, called Mdm2, controls p53. Scientists are now looking at Mdm2 as a possible target for new cancer medicines.
From 2003 to 2016, she was the director of the Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute in Glasgow, UK. In 2016, she moved to London to become the Chief Scientist at Cancer Research UK (CRUK) and a Group Leader at the Francis Crick Institute.
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Education and Early Career
Karen Vousden went to Gravesend Grammar School for Girls. She then studied genetics and microbiology at Queen Mary College, University of London. She earned her first degree in 1978. In 1982, she completed her PhD. Her research looked at how certain changes in genes (called mutations) affect a fungus called Coprinus.
After her PhD, Dr. Vousden worked as a researcher. She worked with Chris Marshall at the Institute of Cancer Research in London. She also worked with Douglas Lowy at the National Cancer Institute in the United States.
Leading Research Teams
From 1987 to 1995, Karen Vousden led a group that studied human papillomaviruses (HPVs). This was at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research in London.
In 1995, she joined the National Cancer Institute in the USA. There, she held several important leadership roles. She led sections and laboratories focused on how cells grow and how cancer starts.
From 2003 to 2016, she was the director of the Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute in Glasgow. She helped expand the institute and led a research group focused on stopping tumors.
Since 2016, she has been the Chief Scientist for Cancer Research UK. She also leads a research group at the Francis Crick Institute in London. In 2018, she was chosen as a foreign associate of the National Academy of Sciences. This is a very high honor for scientists.
Understanding Cancer: Key Discoveries
Human Papillomaviruses and Cancer
Early in her career, Dr. Vousden studied human papillomaviruses (HPVs). These viruses are linked to cervical cancer. She and her team found specific viral proteins that help HPV-16 make normal cells grow out of control.
She also discovered that one of these HPV proteins, called E6, attaches to the human tumor suppressor protein p53. When E6 binds to p53, it causes p53 to break down. This is bad because p53 is important for stopping cancer.
The p53 Protein: A Cell's Guardian
Dr. Vousden's most famous work is on the p53 protein. Think of p53 as a "guardian" for your cells. It helps prevent cancer by stopping damaged cells from growing. If a cell is too damaged, p53 can even make it self-destruct.
She helped figure out how p53 works. With another scientist, Katsunori Nakano, she discovered a key protein called PUMA. PUMA helps p53 tell damaged cells to self-destruct.
To keep cells healthy, p53 needs to be carefully controlled. Dr. Vousden found that a protein called Mdm2 is very important for this control. She showed that Mdm2 marks p53 for destruction. This keeps p53 levels low when cells are healthy.
If p53 can be reactivated, it can stop some tumors from growing. This makes Mdm2 a good target for new cancer medicines. Since Mdm2 only targets a few proteins for destruction, a medicine that stops Mdm2 might have fewer side effects. Dr. Vousden's team has been looking for molecules that can stop Mdm2 from working. Some promising compounds have been found.
Dr. Vousden's group also found a new protein called TIGAR. TIGAR helps p53 reduce stress inside cells. This might help p53 repair minor damage to a cell's DNA.
Awards and Recognition
Karen Vousden has received many awards for her important work. She is a fellow of the Royal Society (2003), the Royal Society of Edinburgh (2004), and the Academy of Medical Sciences (2006). These are very respected scientific groups.
In 2010, she was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This is a special honor from the British government. In 2004, a newspaper called The Scotsman named her one of the 25 most powerful Scottish women.
In 2021, she received the first Pezcoller Foundation-Marina Larcher Fogazzaro-EACR Women in Cancer Award. This award recognizes women who have made big contributions to cancer research.
See also
In Spanish: Karen Vousden para niños
