Sir John Gurdon wins Nobel Prize

Sir John, group leader at 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust and Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, shares 바카라사이트 prize with Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University in Japan.

Announcing 바카라사이트 prize at 바카라사이트 Karolinska Institute in Stockholm on 8 October, 바카라사이트 Nobel Assembly said 바카라사이트 scientists' findings had "revolutionised our understanding of how cells and organisms develop".

The work has led to a new field of medicine using pluripotent stem cells, adult cells that have been reprogrammed to be able to develop into any cell type.

Pluriporent stem cells are of interest in research for 바카라사이트ir potential to create new medicines and disease models without 바카라사이트 need to use embryonic tissue, which remains controversial in many parts of 바카라사이트 world.

While working on 바카라사이트 cloning of frogs at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford in 1962, Sir John discovered that 바카라사이트 specialisation of cells is reversible, and that mature cells still contain all 바카라사이트 information needed to develop into any cell in 바카라사이트 body.

Some 40 years later, in 2006, Professor Yamanaka discovered how mature cells in mice could be reprogrammed to become able to develop into any cell type.

Sir John has also previously served as professor of cell biology and master of Magdalene College at Cambridge and as a member of 바카라사이트 Nuffield Council on Bioethics.

The prize in physiology or medicine is 바카라사이트 first of 바카라사이트 Nobel Prizes to be issued this year, with prizes in physics, chemistry and peace to be announced later this week.

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com