Tony Hunter

Tony Hunter is a prominent British-American biologist and a pioneering scientist in the field of cell biology and cancer research. He is currently affiliated with the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California, where he serves as a Professor in the Molecular and Cell Biology Laboratory and as the Director of the Salk Institute Cancer Center. One of Hunter's most significant research achievements is the discovery of protein phosphorylation on tyrosine residues, which he made in 1979. This finding has had a profound impact on our understanding of cellular signaling pathways and the development of targeted cancer therapies. His work has led to the development of several drugs, such as Imatinib (Gleevec) and Gefitinib (Iressa), which have revolutionized cancer treatment by blocking the activity of specific tyrosine kinases. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to science, Tony Hunter has received numerous awards and honors. Some of the most prestigious accolades include the Wolf Prize in Medicine (2016), the Royal Medal from the Royal Society (2014), the Breakthrough of the Year Award from Science magazine (2001), the Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research (1998), and the Gairdner Foundation International Award (1994). He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society (1991) and a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (1998).