Leland H. Hartwell facts for kids

Leland Harrison "Lee" Hartwell (born October 30, 1939) is an American scientist. He is known for his important work in understanding how cells grow and divide. He used to be the president and director of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington.

In 2001, Dr. Hartwell shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. He won this award with two other scientists, Paul Nurse and Tim Hunt. They were honored for discovering special protein molecules. These molecules act like tiny managers, controlling when and how cells divide. Dr. Hartwell's research, often using yeast, helped us understand how cells know when to start and stop dividing. He also found "checkpoints" that make sure cell division happens correctly.

Education and Early Career

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

After finishing his studies, Dr. Hartwell worked as a professor. From 1965 to 1968, he taught at the University of California, Irvine. In 1968, he moved to the University of Washington. There, between 1970 and 1971, he made a big discovery. He found special genes in baker's yeast (called Saccharomyces cerevisiae). He named these the CDC genes, which stands for "cell division cycle." These genes are like instructions that tell cells how to divide. Changes in these genes can sometimes be linked to certain types of cancer.

Important Discoveries

Dr. Hartwell's research focused on how cells manage their growth and division. He studied yeast to understand these basic life processes.

Cell Division Control

He found genes that are key to cell division. One important gene he identified is called CDC28. This gene helps control the very start of the cell cycle. It makes sure the cell is ready to begin dividing.

Cell Cycle Checkpoints

Dr. Hartwell also introduced the idea of "cell cycle checkpoints." Imagine these as safety stops during cell division. If something goes wrong, like damage to the cell's DNA, these checkpoints act like a pause button. They stop the cell from dividing until the problem is fixed. This helps prevent errors that could lead to serious issues, like cancer.

Other Research

His work also explored how cells communicate with each other. He studied how cells respond to signals from their environment. This research helped us understand more about how living things grow and develop.

Awards and Honors

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

• Nobel Prize: As mentioned, he won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2001. This is one of the highest honors a scientist can receive.
• Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize: In 1995, he received this prize from Columbia University.
• National Academy of Sciences: He became a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 1987. This means he was recognized as one of the top scientists in the U.S.
• Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center: In 1996, Dr. Hartwell joined the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. He became its president and director in 1997 and retired from that role in 2010.
• Albert Lasker Award: In 1998, he received the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research.
• Massry Prize: He was awarded the Massry Prize in 2000 from the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California.
• Washington Medal of Merit: On July 9, 2003, the Governor of Washington, Gary Locke, gave Dr. Hartwell the Medal of Merit. This is the highest honor given by the state of Washington.
• Komen Brinker Award: He also received the Komen Brinker Award for Scientific Distinction.

Other Roles

Dr. Hartwell has held other important positions outside of his direct research. He is the Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board at the Canary Foundation. This is a non-profit group that works to find new ways to detect cancer early. He also helped start the Pacific Health Summit.

In September 2009, Dr. Hartwell joined Arizona State University. He became the Virginia G. Piper Chair of Personalized Medicine. He also co-directed the Biodesign Institute's Center for Sustainable Health. He is also a faculty member at Amrita University in India.

Lee Hartwell Award

There is an award named after Dr. Hartwell, called the Lee Hartwell Award. This award is given to scientists whose research using yeast has made a big impact on biology. Winners of the award also give a special lecture at the Yeast Genetics Meeting.

See also

In Spanish: Leland H. Hartwell para niños