Laurence Pearl
Encyclopedia
Laurence Harris Pearl, FRS, FMedSci
(born 18 June 1956) is a British
biochemist
and structural biologist who is currently Professor of Structural Biology in the Genome Damage and Stability Centre and Head of the School of Life Sciences at the University of Sussex
.
in The Government Inspector. He read Biochemistry
at University College London and then obtained MSc
and PhD
degrees in the Department of Crystallography at Birkbeck College, under the supervision of Tom Blundell
Following postdoc positions at Birkbeck College and the Institute of Cancer Research
in Sutton, Surrey he returned to UCL as Lecturer in Biochemistry in 1989, becoming Reader and then Professor of Structural Biology in 1996. In 1999 he rejoined the Institute of Cancer Research
to chair the new Section of Structural Biology (jointly with David Barford) at the Chester Beatty Laboratories in Chelsea
.
In 2009 he was appointed Head of the new School of Life Sciences at the University of Sussex
, relocating his laboratory to the Genome Damage and Stability Centre, where he holds the position of Professor of Structural Biology.
He was involved in campaigns and direct actions against Nuclear Arms in the 1980s, but has no active political involvement at present. He is a signatory of Jews for Justice for Palestinians
.
, proteins involved in DNA repair
such as uracil-DNA glycosylase
and DNA-PKcs and the Hsp90
molecular chaperone system. Although focussed on understanding basic mechanisms, his laboratory is committed to translating this understanding to the discovery of new drugs for patient benefit.
He is a founder and CSO of Domainex Ltd, an innovative drug discovery company that won the 2010 Genesis Life Science Innovation and Enterprise Programme Of The Year Award, and the "Innovation in Enabling Biotechnology" Prize at 2007 UKTI Bioentrepreneurial Company of the Year Awards.
(FMedSci) in 2007 and a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 2008. In 2011 he was awarded an inaugural Senior Investigator Award by the Wellcome Trust
.
Academy of Medical Sciences
The Academy of Medical Sciences is the United Kingdom's national academy of medical sciences. It was established in 1998 on the recommendation of a group that was chaired by Michael Atiyah. Its president is John Irving Bell....
(born 18 June 1956) is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
biochemist
Biochemist
Biochemists are scientists who are trained in biochemistry. Typical biochemists study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. The prefix of "bio" in "biochemist" can be understood as a fusion of "biological chemist."-Role:...
and structural biologist who is currently Professor of Structural Biology in the Genome Damage and Stability Centre and Head of the School of Life Sciences at the University of Sussex
University of Sussex
The University of Sussex is an English public research university situated next to the East Sussex village of Falmer, within the city of Brighton and Hove. The University received its Royal Charter in August 1961....
.
Education and career
Born in Manchester in 1956 to a working-class Jewish family, he went to The Manchester Grammar School where he was very active in school drama productions, appearing alongside Nicholas HytnerNicholas Hytner
Sir Nicholas Robert Hytner is an English film and theatre producer and director. He has been the artistic director of London's National Theatre since 2003.-Biography:...
in The Government Inspector. He read Biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
at University College London and then obtained MSc
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
and PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
degrees in the Department of Crystallography at Birkbeck College, under the supervision of Tom Blundell
Tom Blundell
Sir Tom Leon Blundell, FRS, FMedSci is a British biochemist and science administrator. Up until 2009, he was the Sir William Dunn Professor of Biochemistry and head of the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Cambridge....
Following postdoc positions at Birkbeck College and the Institute of Cancer Research
Institute of Cancer Research
The Institute of Cancer Research is a cancer research institute located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. The ICR was founded in 1909 as a research department of the Royal Marsden Hospital and joined the University of London in 2003...
in Sutton, Surrey he returned to UCL as Lecturer in Biochemistry in 1989, becoming Reader and then Professor of Structural Biology in 1996. In 1999 he rejoined the Institute of Cancer Research
Institute of Cancer Research
The Institute of Cancer Research is a cancer research institute located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. The ICR was founded in 1909 as a research department of the Royal Marsden Hospital and joined the University of London in 2003...
to chair the new Section of Structural Biology (jointly with David Barford) at the Chester Beatty Laboratories in Chelsea
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
.
In 2009 he was appointed Head of the new School of Life Sciences at the University of Sussex
University of Sussex
The University of Sussex is an English public research university situated next to the East Sussex village of Falmer, within the city of Brighton and Hove. The University received its Royal Charter in August 1961....
, relocating his laboratory to the Genome Damage and Stability Centre, where he holds the position of Professor of Structural Biology.
He was involved in campaigns and direct actions against Nuclear Arms in the 1980s, but has no active political involvement at present. He is a signatory of Jews for Justice for Palestinians
Jews for Justice for Palestinians
Jews for Justice for Palestinians is a pressure group based in the United Kingdom that advocates human and civil rights, and economic and political freedom, for the Palestinian people...
.
Research and Enterprise
His research focuses on understanding the structural basis for assembly, specificity and regulation of proteins and complexes involved in human diseases such as AIDS and cancer . He is particularly noted for his early work on the HIV-1 proteaseHIV-1 protease
HIV-1 protease is a retroviral aspartyl protease that is essential for the life-cycle of HIV, the retrovirus that causes AIDS.HIV PR cleaves newly synthesized polyproteins at the appropriate places to create the mature protein components of an infectious HIV virion...
, proteins involved in DNA repair
DNA repair
DNA repair refers to a collection of processes by which a cell identifies and corrects damage to the DNA molecules that encode its genome. In human cells, both normal metabolic activities and environmental factors such as UV light and radiation can cause DNA damage, resulting in as many as 1...
such as uracil-DNA glycosylase
Uracil-DNA glycosylase
Uracil-DNA glycosylase, also known as UNG or UDG, is a human gene though orthologs exist ubiquitously among prokaryotes and eukaryotes and even in some DNA viruses. The first uracil DNA-glycosylase was isolated from Escherichia coli....
and DNA-PKcs and the Hsp90
Hsp90
Hsp90 is a molecular chaperone and is one of the most abundant proteins expressed in cells. It is a member of the heat shock protein family, which is upregulated in response to stress...
molecular chaperone system. Although focussed on understanding basic mechanisms, his laboratory is committed to translating this understanding to the discovery of new drugs for patient benefit.
He is a founder and CSO of Domainex Ltd, an innovative drug discovery company that won the 2010 Genesis Life Science Innovation and Enterprise Programme Of The Year Award, and the "Innovation in Enabling Biotechnology" Prize at 2007 UKTI Bioentrepreneurial Company of the Year Awards.
Awards and honours
He was elected to membership of the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) in 2005, a Fellow of the Academy of Medical SciencesAcademy of Medical Sciences
The Academy of Medical Sciences is the United Kingdom's national academy of medical sciences. It was established in 1998 on the recommendation of a group that was chaired by Michael Atiyah. Its president is John Irving Bell....
(FMedSci) in 2007 and a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 2008. In 2011 he was awarded an inaugural Senior Investigator Award by the Wellcome Trust
Wellcome Trust
The Wellcome Trust was established in 1936 as an independent charity funding research to improve human and animal health. With an endowment of around £13.9 billion, it is the United Kingdom's largest non-governmental source of funds for biomedical research...
.