John B. Gurdon DPhil, DSc, FRS

Sir John B. Gurdon was Educated at Eton College, where he did Classics, having been advised that he was unsuited for science, and Christ Church, Oxford (Zoology). Ph.D. with Michael Fischberg, on nuclear transplantation in Xenopus. Obtained the first clone of genetically identical adult animals. Demonstrated genetic totipotency of somatic cell nuclei by obtaining sexually mature frogs from the nuclei of the intestinal epithelium.

Did postdoctoral work at Cal-Tech, on bacteriophage genetics. Moved to MRC Molecular Biology Laboratory in Cambridge (Chairman Max Perutz), subsequently becoming Head of Cell Biology Division. In 1983, accepted the John Humphrey Plummer Professorship of Cell Biology at the University of Cambridge, in Zoology Department. Initiated, with Prof R Laskey, Cancer Research Campaign unit of Molecular Embryology in Zoology Department Cambridge.

In 1990 moved to the new Wellcome CRC Institute of Cancer and Developmental Biology in Cambridge, and served as Chairman 1990-to 2001. In 2001, the Institute was renamed The Gurdon Institute. Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge 1995 to 2002, and Governor (= Trustee) of the Wellcome Trust 1995 to 2000. Chairman of the Company of Biologists from 2001 to 2011.