Tim Hunt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Tim Hunt
FRS FRSE FMedSci MAE
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Hunt at UCSF in 2009
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| Born |
Richard Timothy Hunt
19 February 1943 |
| Education |
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| Alma mater | University of Cambridge (BA, PhD) |
| Known for | Cell cycle regulation |
| Spouse(s) |
Mary Collins
(m. 1995) |
| Children | Two daughters |
| Awards |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Cell cycle (Biochemistry) |
| Institutions |
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| Thesis | The synthesis of haemoglobin (1969) |
| Doctoral advisor | Asher Korner |
| Doctoral students | |
Sir Richard Timothy Hunt, born on February 19, 1943, is a British scientist. He studies biochemistry (the chemistry of living things) and molecular physiology (how living things work at a tiny level).
In 2001, he won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. He shared it with Paul Nurse and Leland H. Hartwell. They won for finding protein molecules that control how cells divide. In the early 1980s, Hunt found a protein called cyclin. This protein appears and disappears in a cycle during cell division. He made this discovery while studying sea urchin eggs.
Contents
Early Life and School
Hunt was born in Neston, Cheshire, England, on February 19, 1943. His father, Richard William Hunt, taught about old writings in Liverpool. His mother was Kit Rowland.
In 1945, his family moved to Oxford. His father became a keeper of old manuscripts at the Bodleian Library.
When he was eight, Hunt went to the Dragon School. There, his science teacher, Gerd Sommerhoff, sparked his interest in biology. At fourteen, he moved to Magdalen College School, Oxford. He became even more interested in science, studying chemistry and zoology.
In 1961, he started studying Natural Sciences at Clare College, Cambridge. He finished in 1964 and began working at the university's Biochemistry Department. His PhD work focused on how haemoglobin (a protein in red blood cells) is made in rabbit cells. He earned his PhD in 1968.
Career and Discoveries
Starting His Research
After getting his PhD, Hunt went to New York to work in a lab. There, he and his team found that tiny amounts of certain chemicals could stop proteins from being made.
Hunt often spent summers at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. This place was great for scientists studying mitosis (cell division). They could easily find sea urchins and clams there. These animals were perfect for studying how proteins are made in early life. Their clear embryo cells were easy to see under a microscope.
Finding Cyclins
Around July 1982, at Woods Hole, Hunt made a big discovery. He was using sea urchin eggs to study cell division. He noticed that one protein would increase a lot, then disappear during the mitosis phase. He called this protein "cyclin" because its levels changed in a cycle.
He found that cyclins are always being made. But they are specifically broken down during mitosis. This discovery was published in the journal Cell in 1983. Hunt later showed that cyclins are found in other sea urchins and clams too.
Hunt knew his discovery was important. Later research, some of which he helped with, showed how cyclins work. They found that cyclins are in cells of most living things. They combine with special enzymes called cyclin-dependent kinases to form something called maturation-promoting factor (MPF). MPF helps start mitosis. The way MPF turns on and off in a cycle is key to controlling the cell cycle.
Later Work
In 1990, Hunt started working at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund in the UK. His work there focused on understanding what makes cells become cancerous. Cancer cells grow out of control, ignoring signals to stop.
He also helped write a book called The Cell Cycle: An Introduction in 1993. Hunt had his own lab until 2010. He is now an Emeritus Group Leader at the Francis Crick Institute. He also advises groups that support science.
Hunt is known as a great colleague and teacher. He has guided many PhD students, including Hugh Pelham and Jonathon Pines.
Supporting Science
Besides his scientific work, Hunt has always supported scientific research. After winning the Nobel Prize in 2001, he traveled a lot. He spoke to many different groups of people. He often talked about how important it is to have fun and be lucky in science. He also believes that science does best when young people are given freedom to explore. He himself was given full freedom at age 27.
Awards and Honors
Hunt became a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) in 1978. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1991. This honor recognized his work on how proteins are made and his discovery of cyclin.
In 2001, he won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. He shared it with Leland H. Hartwell and Paul Nurse. They were honored for finding key regulators of the cell cycle. Hunt was specifically recognized for discovering cyclins. He showed that cyclins are destroyed in a cycle during each cell division. This mechanism is very important for controlling the cell cycle.
In 2006, he received the Royal Society's Royal Medal. This award is given for important contributions to natural knowledge. He was honored for finding cyclin, a key part of cell cycle control.
Hunt was made a knight in 2006 for his service to science. This means he can be called "Sir."
Personal Life
Hunt is married to Mary Collins, who is also a scientist. She was a leader at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology in Japan. They have two daughters.
Images for kids
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Hunt at UCSF in 2009
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With other scientists and leaders in 2013
