Anthony Pawson PhD

Cells

Born:

October 18, 1952, Maidstone, UK

Died:

August 7, 2013

Education:

BA - Cambridge University; PhD - London University

Dr. Anthony Pawson was a biotechnologist and medical research investigator, whose work has had a profound impact on biomedical research. His research has created a new understanding of the role of communication signals between cells in the development of cancer. He discovered that a certain protein molecule plays a critical role in transmitting cancer-inducing signals in malignant cells. This research has led to the development of new drugs to stop the proliferation of cancer cells.

Dr. Pawson's ground-breaking studies have focused on the signals that are transmitted between cells in the human body and how this forms a pattern of communication. By understanding cellular communication, scientists can track how the pattern of communication can “breakdown” in conditions such as heart disease and immune system deficiencies.

As the author of more than 300 scientific articles, Dr. Pawson is among the world’s most frequently cited scientists in biomedical research. He has also received a number of awards including the Michael Smith Prize in Health Research from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Gairdner Foundation International Award and the Heineken Prize from the Royal Netherlands Academy.

In 2002, Dr. Pawson was appointed Director of Research at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, Ontario.