Piet Borst facts for kids

Piet Borst CBE (born on July 5, 1934, in Amsterdam) is a highly respected professor who studied biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Amsterdam (UVA). Until 1999, he was the director of research and chairman of the board at the Netherlands Cancer Institute and the Antoni van Leeuwenhoekziekenhuis (NKI-AVL). He continued his important work at NKI-AVL as a staff member and group leader until 2016.

A Scientist's Journey

Piet Borst started studying medicine in Amsterdam in 1952 and finished his practical training by 1962. He earned his PhD by researching tiny parts of cells called mitochondria in tumors. His supervisor was Edward Slater.

After that, he moved to New York City. There, he worked with another scientist, Charles Weissmann, on how bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) copy themselves. This work was done in the lab of Nobel Prize winner Severo Ochoa at the New York University School of Medicine. In 1965, Borst became a professor of Biochemistry at the University of Amsterdam. He led a section focused on how enzymes work in the body and how molecules are made. From 1972 to 1980, he also helped direct the Institute of Animal Physiology at the University of Amsterdam, where he started the first group dedicated to molecular biology.

In 1983, Professor Borst moved to the Netherlands Cancer Institute - Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital. He became the director of research and later the chairman. He kept his honorary professor title at the University of Amsterdam. Even after officially retiring in 1999, Borst continued to lead his lab. His team studied how cancer cells become resistant to chemotherapy drugs. They also looked at how certain proteins transport drugs in the body and how a new part of DNA, called Base J, works in tiny parasites called trypanosomes.

Piet Borst also played a big role in discussions about science in the Netherlands. In the 1970s, he spoke up about experiments involving recombinant-DNA (mixing DNA from different sources). As a director of the cancer institute, he often shared news about cancer research and treatments with the public through newspapers, radio, and TV. He was also part of a special group that advised the Dutch prime minister on new ideas. For 23 years, he wrote a monthly column in a major newspaper, the NRC Handelsblad, sharing his thoughts on science.

One of his students who went on to do great things was Jan Hoeijmakers.

Important Roles in Global Science

Piet Borst was involved in many important international science organizations. He helped guide research and make decisions. Here are some of the key roles he held:

• From 1978 to 1984, he was an elected member of the EMBO Council, even serving as vice-president for some of that time.
• He was on the Scientific Advisory Board of the EMBL in Heidelberg, Germany, from 1985 to 1991, and was its President from 1988 to 1991.
• He also advised other major research centers, including the Basel Institute for Immunology in Switzerland (1986–1990) and the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology in Vienna, Austria (1986–1993).
• From 1991 to 2004, he was part of the Scientific Committee for the Louis Jeantet Foundation in Switzerland, which awards a prestigious prize. He was president of the jury from 1997.
• He served on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC) in Switzerland (1992–1998) and the Imperial Cancer Research Fund in London, UK (1994–2000).
• Later, he was on the Scientific Advisory Board for the Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie in Germany (1999–2005) and the External Scientific and Strategic Committee of the Institute Pasteur in France (2000–2005), where he became chairman in 2004.
• He was also on the Supervisory Board of Schering A.G. in Germany (2000–2006).
• From 2004 to 2008, he chaired the Scientific Advisory Board of the Fritz-Lipmann Institut in Germany.
• He was a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the London Research Institute (2005–2012) and the Board of Scientific Governors of The Scripps Research Institute in the USA (2005–2012).
• His last major advisory role was with the European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing (ERIBA) in the Netherlands, from 2013 to 2016.

Special Honors

Piet Borst has received several special honors:

• In 1999, he was made a Commander in the Order of the Netherlands Lion, a very high Dutch honor.
• In 2007, he became an Honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), a special award from the United Kingdom.

Science Awards

Professor Borst has been recognized with many scientific awards for his important work:

• 1981: Royal Dutch/Shell-prize for the Life Sciences (Netherlands)
• 1984: Paul-Ehrlich und Ludwig-Darmstaedter Prize, Germany (shared with Prof. George Cross)
• 1984: F.M.V.V. Prize of the Dutch Federation of Medical Scientific Societies
• 1989: Howard Taylor Ricketts Award of the University of Chicago, USA
• 1990: Dr. G. Wander award of the Wander Foundation in Bern, Switzerland
• 1990: Gold medal of the Genootschap voor Natuur-, Genees- en Heelkunde in Amsterdam
• 1992: Dr. H.P. Heineken prize for biochemistry and biophysics of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences
• 1992: Gold medal of the Robert Koch Foundation in Cologne, Germany
• 1993: Prof.dr P. Muntendam prize of the Dutch Cancer Society
• 1999: Silver Medal of merit of the City of Amsterdam
• 1999: Medal of the University of Amsterdam for exceptional contributions to the university
• 2000: Hamilton Fairley Award for Clinical Research, European Society for Medical Oncology, Hamburg.
• 2007: The distinguished Service Award, awarded at the Miami Nature Biotechnology Winter Symposium, Miami Beach, Florida, USA.
• 2010: Gebroeders Bruinsma Erepenning van de Nederlandse Vereniging tegen de Kwakzalverij, Amsterdam.
• 2023: Lasker-Koshland Special Achievement Award in Medical Science, one of the most prestigious awards in medical science.

Membership in Academies

Piet Borst is a member of several important scientific academies, which means he is recognized as a leading expert in his field:

• 1978: Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
• 1983: De Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen
• 1986: Foreign Member of the Royal Society (UK)
• 1989: Academia Europaea
• 1991: Foreign Associate of the National Academy of Sciences, Washington, United States
• 1995: International Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, United States
• 2009: Fellow of the European Academy of Cancer Sciences

Key Discoveries by Borst and His Team

Piet Borst and his colleagues made many important discoveries that changed our understanding of biology and medicine. Here are some of them:

• They found a new way that cells transport energy, called the "Borst cycle."
• They showed how viruses copy their RNA, proving that certain structures were not real but formed during experiments.
• They discovered that the DNA inside mitochondria (the cell's powerhouses) is made of small circles that are all the same. This meant that most mitochondrial proteins must come from outside the mitochondria.
• They developed a new way to separate DNA molecules using a gel, and they showed how long DNA molecules move through the gel like snakes.
• They found a new organelle (a tiny cell part) in parasites called trypanosomes, which they named the glycosome. This organelle holds enzymes that help the parasite get energy.
• They discovered that genes inside yeast mitochondria can have "introns," which are parts of genes that are cut out before the gene is used.
• They uncovered how African trypanosomes change their outer coat to avoid the body's immune system, using a process called DNA transposition.
• They found that all trypanosome messenger RNAs (mRNA, which carry genetic instructions) are made in a special way called trans-splicing.
• They studied the ends of chromosomes, called telomeres, and found that they can grow and shrink. They also discovered that trypanosome telomeres end in repeating DNA sequences (GGGTTA)n, which were later found in human telomeres too.
• They introduced a new method to separate very large DNA molecules, even whole chromosomes, from tiny organisms.
• They developed the first test to detect Zellweger syndrome before birth, a serious genetic disorder affecting cell parts called peroxisomes.
• They showed that certain proteins, called P-glycoproteins (ABCB1), protect the body by transporting drugs out of important areas like the brain (the blood-brain barrier) and the gut.
• They proved that another P-glycoprotein (Mdr2/MDR3 or ABCB4) is essential for making bile, which helps with digestion.
• They identified the first ABC-transporter in a parasite, Leishmania, which helps it resist drugs like arsenic. This was a new type of transporter.
• They discovered a new base in the DNA of trypanosomes and related parasites, which they named J.
• They found that African trypanosomes can change their transferrin receptor, allowing them to take up nutrients from different animals, even as those animals evolve.
• They figured out how DNA base J is made and that it acts as an important signal to stop RNA synthesis in Leishmania.
• They showed that there are many members in the MRP (ABCC) family of drug transporters. They also identified new natural substances that these transporters move, such as plant hormones, prostaglandins, and new types of amino acids.
• They created the first mouse tumor model that could be used to study how cancer cells become resistant to chemotherapy drugs.
• They identified new proteins, REV7 and HELB, that help stop DNA repair processes, which can contribute to drug resistance in a mouse breast cancer model.
• They found that a channel called the Volume-Regulation Anion Channel helps cancer cells take in platinum-based anti-cancer drugs.
• They discovered that a genetic condition called Pseudoxanthoma elasticum, which causes abnormal calcification, is due to a missing protein (MRP6 or ABCC6) in the liver. This protein helps release ATP from cells, which is then converted into a substance (pyrophosphate) that prevents calcification.