Prof Kim Nasmyth
Department of Biochemistry
University of Oxford
Oxford
Lord of the rings - studying chromosomes and cancer
Professor Kim Nasmyth heads the Biochemistry Department at the University of Oxford, and has won many prestigious scientific awards in his career. He is a world-leading expert in chromosomes - the packages of DNA found within our cells - and the proteins that control them.
Holding chromosomes together
In the 1990s, Professor Nasmyth discovered cohesin, an important ring-shaped protein involved in holding chromosomes together as cells divide. He is now studying cohesin in great detail to find out how it works, which could shed light on some of the fundamental problems that underpin cancer - a disease caused by cells dividing out of control.
In 2008, Professor Nasmyth and his team showed that cohesin traps the chromosomes together within its ring, before the cell divides. This discovery was a significant leap forward, as it means that scientists now know how cohesin works on a molecular level. This paves the way for advances in chromosome research, which could lead to revolutionary new treatments for cancer in the future.
Listen to an interview with Professor Nasmyth, talking about his discovery:
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