Matthew Hurles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Matt Hurles
FRS FMedSci
|
|
|---|---|
| Born |
Matthew Edward Hurles
8 May 1974 Hammersmith, London, England
|
| Education | Hampton School |
| Alma mater | University of Oxford (BA) University of Leicester (PhD) |
| Awards | Crick Lecture (2013) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Genetics |
| Institutions | Wellcome Sanger Institute University of Cambridge Congenica Ltd |
| Thesis | Mutation and variability of the human Y chromosome (1999) |
| Doctoral advisor | Mark Jobling |
Matthew Edward Hurles, born in 1974, is a very important scientist. He is the director of the Wellcome Sanger Institute. He is also an honorary professor at the University of Cambridge. His work helps us understand how our DNA and genes work.
His School and University Life
Matthew Hurles went to Hampton School when he was younger. Later, he studied Biochemistry at the University of Oxford. He earned a special degree there.
In 1999, he finished his PhD at the University of Leicester. His PhD research was about the genetics of the Y chromosome. This is one of the chromosomes that helps determine if someone is male.
What He Studies
Dr. Hurles's research looks at how new changes, called mutations, happen in our DNA. He studies what these changes mean when DNA is passed from parents to children.
He is famous for his work on structural variation in the human genome. The human genome is like the complete instruction book for building a human. Structural variations are big changes in these instructions. He also studies the genetic causes of severe neurodevelopmental disorders. These are conditions that affect how the brain develops and works.
His team has done many large studies of our genes. They have shown that new mutations are a main cause of many different developmental disorders. Thanks to their work, scientists have found tens of new genetic diseases that were not known before.
Awards and Special Recognition
Dr. Hurles has received several important awards for his work. In 2019, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very high honor for scientists in the United Kingdom.
He is also a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci). In 2013, he was given the Crick Medal and Lecture. This award is named after Francis Crick, one of the scientists who discovered the structure of DNA.
