Nicholas Hastie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nicholas Hastie
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Nicholas Dixon Hastie
29 March 1947 |
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| Thesis | The role of the nucleus in influenza virus replication (1973) |
Nicholas Dixon Hastie (born in 1947) is a famous British geneticist. A geneticist is a scientist who studies genes, which are the instructions inside our cells that make us who we are.
For many years, he was the Director of the MRC Human Genetics Unit. This is an important research center at the University of Edinburgh where scientists study human genetics to understand diseases.
Education and Early Life
Nicholas Hastie went to Colwyn Bay Grammar School in Wales. While he was a student there, he enjoyed singing in the school's choral society.
For his higher education, he studied at two of the most famous universities in the United Kingdom: the University of Liverpool and the University of Cambridge.
Scientific Discoveries and Awards
In 2002, Professor Hastie was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a huge honor given to the most respected scientists in the UK. He was chosen because of his many important discoveries about how our genes work.
What Did He Discover?
Professor Hastie's work has helped us understand how animals, including people, grow and develop. Here are some of his key findings:
- Telomeres and Aging: He was one of the first scientists to study telomeres in mammals. Telomeres are like tiny plastic tips on the ends of our shoelaces, but they protect the ends of our DNA. His team showed that these telomeres get shorter as we get older.
- Kidney and Eye Development: He studied genetic conditions that affect how babies develop. His work focused on Wilms' tumor, a type of kidney cancer in children, and Aniridia, a condition that affects the eyes.
- The PAX6 Gene: His team discovered that changes, or mutations, in a gene called PAX6 cause aniridia. This was a major breakthrough in understanding the genetics of eye development.
- The WT1 Gene: He also made important discoveries about a gene called WT1. He studied how this gene plays a role in the healthy development of the kidney and other organs.
Because of his amazing contributions to science, Professor Hastie was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
