Professor David Glover

Department of Genetics
University of Cambridge
Cambridge

Building the scaffolding for cell division

Professor David Glover is an expert in cell division - the process by which new cells are made. Over the years, he has discovered a number of important proteins that play a vital role in forming the ‘scaffolding’ that cells build in order to help them divide. He and his team are studying how these proteins work, using their knowledge to develop potential new treatments for cancer.

Building the spindle

New cells are made when one cells splits to become two. When a cells divides, it copies all its DNA and shares it equally between two new daughter cells. To do this correctly, the cell builds a kind of ‘scaffold’ called the spindle, which pulls the two sets of DNA apart. You can watch a video of cell division here.

Professor Glover and his team are investigating how the spindle is built and controlled on a molecular level. In particular, the researchers are studying proteins called Aurora and Polo kinases – first discovered by Professor Glover – which play important roles in controlling cell division. These proteins are often faulty in cancer, so understanding how they work is essential if we are to find more effective treatments.

Researchers have already started to develop drugs that can block these kinases, which are showing promising results in clinical trials. Professor Glover’s work will help to make these drugs more effective, as well as revealing other potential targets for future cancer treatments.