Leland H. Hartwell facts for kids

Leland Harrison "Lee" Hartwell (born October 30, 1939) is an American scientist. He used to be the president and director of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington.

In 2001, he shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. He won it with Paul Nurse and Tim Hunt. They discovered special protein molecules that control how cells divide. Cells divide to make new cells, which is how living things grow and repair themselves.

Dr. Hartwell did his research using yeast. He found out about "checkpoints" that control the cell cycle. The cell cycle is the series of steps a cell takes to divide. He also found "CDC genes," like CDC28. These genes control when the cell cycle starts and moves forward.

Becoming a Scientist

Lee Hartwell went to Glendale High School in Glendale, California. He then studied at the California Institute of Technology, getting his first degree in 1961. In 1964, he earned his PhD in biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

From 1965 to 1968, he was a professor at the University of California, Irvine. After that, he moved to the University of Washington in 1968.

Discovering CDC Genes

Between 1970 and 1971, Dr. Hartwell did important experiments. He discovered the cell division cycle (CDC) genes. He found these genes in baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). These genes are like a control panel for the cell cycle. They make sure cells divide correctly. If these genes have problems, it can lead to diseases like some types of cancer.

Awards and Honors

Dr. Hartwell has received many important awards for his work.

The Nobel Prize

The most famous award he received is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2001. This prize is given for major discoveries in how living things work.

Other Important Awards

• In 1995, he received the Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize from Columbia University.
• In 1987, he became a member of the United States National Academy of Sciences. This is a group of top scientists in the U.S.
• In 1996, Dr. Hartwell joined the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. He became its president and director in 1997 and retired in 2010.
• In 1998, he received the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research.
• In 2000, he received the Massry Prize from the Keck School of Medicine.
• In 2003, the Governor of Washington state, Gary Locke, gave him the Medal of Merit. This is the highest honor in that state.
• He also received the Komen Brinker Award for Scientific Distinction.

His Research Work

Dr. Hartwell's early research focused on finding yeast mutants. These were yeast cells that had problems with basic life processes. This included making DNA, RNA, and proteins.

Cell Division Control

This work led him to find the CDC (Cell Division Cycle) genes. These genes help cells move through the steps of division. One very important gene he found was CDC28. This gene makes a protein called Cdk kinase, which is key for starting cell division.

Cell Cycle Checkpoints

Another big discovery was the idea of "cell cycle checkpoints." Imagine these like traffic lights for cell division. If something goes wrong inside the cell, these checkpoints stop the division. This gives the cell time to fix the problem. If it can't be fixed, the cell might stop dividing or even self-destruct. This is important for preventing diseases like cancer.

He also studied how cells communicate with each other, especially how they respond to signals for mating.

Other Roles

Dr. Hartwell is the Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board at the Canary Foundation. This group works to find new ways to detect cancer early. He also helped start the Pacific Health Summit.

In 2009, he joined Arizona State University. He became a special professor there and helped lead a center focused on personalized medicine. He also works with Amrita University in India.

Lee Hartwell Award

There is an award named after Lee Hartwell. It is given to scientists whose research using yeast has greatly impacted biology. The award winners also give a special talk at the Yeast Genetics Meeting.

• 2016 – Susan Gasser
• 2014 – George Church
• 2012 – Stan Fields
• 2010 – Randy Schekman
• 2008 – Mitsuhiro Yanagida
• 2006 – Kim Nasmyth
• 2004 – Susan Lindquist
• 2002 – Leland Hartwell

See also

A robot for kids.

In Spanish: Leland H. Hartwell para niños