Paul Nurse

Paul Nurse
Born	Paul Maxime Nurse 25 01, 1949
Birthplace	Norwich, Norfolk, England
Nationality	British
Occupation	Geneticist, cell biologist, academic administrator
Title	President of the Royal Society
Known for	Cell cycle regulation, CDK research
Education	University of Birmingham (BSc) University of East Anglia (PhD)
Children	2
Awards	Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2001) Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine (1992) Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research (1998)

Sir Paul Maxime Nurse (born 25 January 1949) is a British geneticist and cell biologist whose research into the molecular mechanisms governing cell division earned him the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, shared with Leland Hartwell and Tim Hunt. Born in Norwich, England, Nurse grew up in modest circumstances and pursued his scientific education at the University of Birmingham and the University of East Anglia, where he completed his doctoral work on the spatial and temporal organisation of amino acid pools in Candida utilis. His subsequent career has spanned several of the world's leading research institutions, including the Imperial Cancer Research Fund, the University of Oxford, and Rockefeller University, where he served as the ninth president from 2003 to 2011. Nurse was the founding Chief Executive and Director of the Francis Crick Institute, the largest biomedical research facility in Europe, and has served twice as President of the Royal Society — first from 2010 to 2015, and again beginning in December 2025. His discovery of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) as key regulators of the cell cycle has had profound implications for the understanding of cancer biology and cellular growth. Throughout his career, Nurse has been an outspoken advocate for evidence-based policymaking and international scientific collaboration.

Early Life

Paul Maxime Nurse was born on 25 January 1949 in Norwich, Norfolk, England. He grew up in a working-class family in London, where he was raised as the youngest child in the household. As a child, Nurse walked through a park to school on his own every day — a journey of over a mile — developing an early sense of independence and a curiosity about the natural world.

Nurse's early interest in biology was nurtured by an enthusiasm for observing nature, including butterflies, birds, and the organisms in his local environment. He has spoken publicly about how his childhood experiences, including a fascination with living things and their behaviour, helped set him on the path toward a career in the life sciences.

In 2014, a significant personal discovery was made public when Nurse revealed details about his birth certificate. He learned that the woman he had believed to be his mother was in fact his grandmother, and the person he had known as his older sister was his biological mother. This revelation, which Nurse discovered when applying for a passport and noticing discrepancies in his documentation, had a deep personal impact on him. He has discussed this experience in various interviews, noting that it reshaped his understanding of his own family history. Despite the emotional complexity of this discovery, Nurse has spoken about it openly and with candour, viewing it as part of his broader life story rather than a source of lasting bitterness.

Education

Nurse attended the University of Birmingham, where he earned his BSc degree in biological sciences. He went on to pursue graduate studies at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in Norwich, where he conducted doctoral research under the supervision of Anthony P. Sims. His PhD thesis, completed in 1974, was entitled "The spatial and temporal organisation of amino acid pools in Candida utilis," an investigation into the biochemistry of amino acid metabolism in yeast. This early work with yeast as a model organism foreshadowed Nurse's later groundbreaking research using fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe) to elucidate the mechanisms of cell division. The rigorous training he received at UEA in microbiology and biochemistry provided the foundational expertise upon which his subsequent career in cell biology was built.

Career

Early Research and Cell Cycle Discoveries

Following the completion of his PhD, Nurse embarked on postdoctoral research that would define his scientific career. He turned his attention to the fundamental question of how cells know when to divide — one of the central problems in biology. Working initially with the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Nurse identified genes that control the cell cycle, the orderly sequence of events by which a cell duplicates its contents and divides into two daughter cells.

Nurse's most significant scientific contribution was the identification and characterisation of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), particularly the gene cdc2 (later known as CDK1 in humans), which encodes a protein kinase that acts as a master regulator of the cell cycle. He demonstrated that this gene was essential for the transition from one phase of the cell cycle to the next, and crucially, he showed that the function of cdc2 was conserved across species — from yeast to humans. This finding was of enormous significance because it revealed that the basic machinery controlling cell division had been preserved through hundreds of millions of years of evolution, indicating a universal mechanism shared by virtually all eukaryotic organisms.

The discovery of CDKs had immediate implications for cancer research. Cancer is fundamentally a disease of uncontrolled cell division, and understanding the molecular switches that govern the cell cycle opened new avenues for therapeutic intervention. Nurse's work, alongside the complementary discoveries of Leland Hartwell (who identified the CDC genes in budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and Tim Hunt (who discovered cyclins, the regulatory proteins that activate CDKs), provided a comprehensive framework for understanding cell cycle control.

Imperial Cancer Research Fund and Oxford

During a significant portion of his career, Nurse held positions at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund (ICRF, later Cancer Research UK) in London, where he led a laboratory focused on cell cycle genetics and cell biology. His research group at the ICRF was instrumental in advancing the understanding of how CDKs are regulated by cyclins and other factors, and how these regulatory networks ensure the fidelity of cell division.

Nurse also held academic positions at the University of Oxford, where he contributed to teaching and research in genetics and cell biology. His association with Oxford has continued in various capacities. In November 2025, Nurse officially opened the University of Oxford's Life and Mind building, a £200 million teaching and research facility designed to support world-class research in the life sciences and psychological sciences.

President of Rockefeller University

In 2003, Nurse was appointed the ninth President of Rockefeller University in New York City, succeeding Arnold Levine. Rockefeller University is one of the foremost biomedical research institutions in the world, and Nurse's appointment reflected his international standing as a scientist and research leader. During his tenure, which lasted until 2011, he oversaw the university's research programmes and worked to strengthen its position as a centre for basic biomedical science. He was succeeded as president by Marc Tessier-Lavigne.

Nurse's time at Rockefeller University also brought him into the American scientific community in a more direct capacity, and he became an influential voice in discussions about science funding, the importance of basic research, and the role of international collaboration in advancing knowledge.

Francis Crick Institute

One of Nurse's most significant contributions to the institutional landscape of British science was his role in the creation and leadership of the Francis Crick Institute in London. The institute, which opened in 2016, was the result of a partnership between six major research and academic organisations in the United Kingdom. Nurse served as the founding Chief Executive and Director of the Crick Institute, guiding its development from conception to operation.

The Francis Crick Institute became the largest biomedical research facility in Europe, with a mission to conduct discovery research aimed at understanding the fundamental biology underlying human health and disease. Under Nurse's leadership, the institute attracted researchers from around the world and established itself as a major hub for interdisciplinary science. The institute's founding reflected Nurse's long-held conviction that large-scale, collaborative research environments can accelerate scientific progress beyond what is possible in smaller, isolated laboratories.

President of the Royal Society

Nurse has held the position of President of the Royal Society on two occasions, making him a rare figure in the history of one of the world's oldest and most prestigious scientific academies. He first served as the 61st President from December 2010 to December 2015, succeeding Lord Rees of Ludlow and being succeeded by Venkatraman Ramakrishnan.

In December 2025, Nurse began a second term as President, the 64th, succeeding Adrian Smith. In his inaugural address in this second term, Nurse criticised those who put ideology ahead of evidence, and called for smarter approaches to the funding of scientific research. He has used the platform of the presidency to advocate for the defence of science against politically motivated attacks and to champion the importance of evidence-based decision-making in public policy.

In a January 2026 interview with The Guardian, Nurse discussed the challenges facing the Royal Society during his second term, including claims about a perceived "boys' club" culture within the institution, the controversy surrounding Elon Musk's fellowship, and what he characterised as right-wing attacks on science. Nurse acknowledged that some people did not want him to take on the role again, but expressed his commitment to addressing these issues directly.

Public Engagement and International Lectures

Beyond his formal institutional roles, Nurse has maintained an active schedule of public lectures and international engagements focused on communicating fundamental questions about the nature of life. His book What Is Life? explored five fundamental principles of living systems, drawing on his career in cell biology to make complex scientific ideas accessible to a general audience.

In February 2026, Nurse delivered a lecture as part of Academia Sinica's TAIWAN BRIDGES lecture series in Taiwan, exploring the five fundamental principles of living systems and discussing the nature of life with researchers and students. In January 2026, he addressed Chinese students in Beijing in a lecture on the nature and characteristics of life. In November 2025, he delivered a lecture at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden, entitled "New perspectives on CDK control of the cell cycle," demonstrating his continued active involvement in research as well as public engagement.

These international engagements reflect Nurse's commitment to the global dissemination of scientific knowledge and his belief in the importance of cross-border scientific exchange.

Personal Life

Paul Nurse has two daughters. He has been relatively private about his family life, though certain aspects have entered the public record. His 2014 revelation about his birth certificate — that the woman he had always believed to be his mother was actually his grandmother, and his supposed older sister was his biological mother — was widely reported in the British press and prompted public discussion about family secrets and identity.

Nurse has spoken about how this discovery, made when he was already an established scientist, caused him to re-examine his family history and relationships. He has addressed the matter with characteristic directness in interviews and public appearances, treating it as a significant but ultimately enriching part of his life experience.

Nurse was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1989. He was knighted in 1999 for services to cell biology and biochemistry, and has been a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO).

He has expressed concern about barriers that prevent talented individuals from entering science, drawing on his own working-class background to highlight the importance of widening access to scientific careers.

Recognition

Nobel Prize

In 2001, Nurse was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, jointly with Leland Hartwell and Tim Hunt, "for their discoveries of key regulators of the cell cycle." Nurse's share of the prize recognised his identification of CDK molecules, particularly the gene cdc2, and his demonstration that these regulators are conserved across species from yeast to humans. The Nobel Committee highlighted the significance of these findings for understanding the mechanisms underlying cancer and other diseases of cell proliferation.

Other Awards and Honours

Nurse has received numerous awards and honours over the course of his career. He was awarded the Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine in 1992 for his contributions to biomedical research. He received the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research in 1998, one of the most prestigious awards in American medicine, which is sometimes considered a precursor to the Nobel Prize.

He was awarded the Henry G. Friesen International Prize in Health Research in 2015, recognising his contributions to health science and his role as a global scientific leader.

Nurse has been awarded honorary degrees from multiple universities. In 2013, he received an honorary degree from the University of Worcester. He also received an honorary degree from the University of Warwick. In 2017, he was appointed Chancellor of the University of Bristol.

He was knighted in 1999, becoming Sir Paul Nurse, in recognition of his services to cell biology and biochemistry.

Legacy

Paul Nurse's scientific legacy rests principally on his elucidation of the molecular mechanisms that control the cell cycle, work that fundamentally altered the understanding of how cells grow and divide. His identification of cyclin-dependent kinases as conserved regulators of cell division provided a framework that has been central to decades of subsequent research in cell biology, developmental biology, and cancer research. The discovery that the same basic molecular machinery operates in organisms as distant as yeast and humans was a landmark in evolutionary biology as well, demonstrating the deep conservation of essential biological processes.

Beyond his laboratory contributions, Nurse has shaped the institutional landscape of science in the United Kingdom and internationally. His leadership of the Francis Crick Institute established a new model for large-scale, collaborative biomedical research in Britain, bringing together researchers from diverse disciplines under a single roof. His two terms as President of the Royal Society have given him a prominent platform from which to advocate for the value of science in public life and to defend the independence of scientific inquiry from political interference.

Nurse has also been a vocal proponent of widening access to science, drawing on his own experience growing up in a working-class household to argue that barriers to entry — whether financial, social, or institutional — deprive society of scientific talent. His public lectures and writings, including his work on fundamental questions such as "What is life?", have contributed to the broader public understanding of biology and the importance of basic research.

His doctoral students have included Alison Woollard, among others, ensuring that his scientific approach and intellectual legacy have been transmitted to the next generation of researchers. His continued active engagement in both research and science policy, well into his seventies, underscores a career defined by sustained productivity and an enduring commitment to the advancement of scientific knowledge.