6 March 2007

MRC researcher awarded Biochemical Society's Colworth Medal

The prestigious 2008 Colworth Medal has been awarded to Dr John Rouse, a principal investigator in the MRC Protein Phosphorylation Unit at the University of Dundee. The medal is sponsored by Unilever and presented by the Biochemical Society. It is said to be the most distinguished award that a biochemist under 36 years old can receive in the UK.

Dr Rouse will receive an honorarium of £2,000 and an invitation to present two lectures, one at a Biochemical Society meeting and another at the Unilever research laboratory.

Dr Rouse's research focuses on how cells recognise and repair DNA damage to prevent mutations developing. DNA damage can cause a gradual accumulation of mutations in cells. These undesirable changes underlie a wide range of human disease including cancer.

Ordinarily, mutations occur at low levels because healthy cells have the ability to detect and eliminate DNA damage. However, DNA is constantly under attack by agents found both inside and outside the cell that can create DNA damage. Understanding how these agents cause mutations to develop, and how the cell fights this, will give fresh insight into how diseases like cancer can develop.

Dr Rouse established his own research group within the Medical Research Council Protein Phosphorylation Unit in 2002. Previously, Dr Rouse obtained his PhD under the supervision of Sir Philip Cohen in the MRC-PPU at Dundee in 1996 then held a postdoctoral position at the University of Cambridge until 2002 before returning to Dundee as a Principal Investigator.

The award of the Colworth Medal is a further enhancement to Dr Rouse's scientific standing. In 2006 he received a European Molecular Biology Organisation Young Investigator Award.

Commenting on the award Dr Rouse said: "It is a great honour to receive the Biochemical Society Colworth Medal, especially given the long list of distinguished past recipients, seven of whom are also based in Dundee, two of them in the MRC Protein Phosphorylation Unit. This is a testament to the quality of biochemical research going on here."

Notes to Editors

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The Medical Research Council is dedicated to improving human health through excellent science. It invests on behalf of the UK taxpayer. Its work ranges from molecular level science to public health research, carried out in universities, hospitals and a network of its own units and institutes. The MRC liaises with the Health Departments, the National Health Service and industry to take account of the public's needs. The results have led to some of the most significant discoveries in medical science and benefited the health and wealth of millions of people in the UK and around the world. www.mrc.ac.uk

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