Ashok Venkitaraman

Ashok Venkitaraman
Institutions University of Cambridge
Alma mater
Website
www.mrc-cu.cam.ac.uk/venkitaraman.html

Ashok Venkitaraman is a British cancer researcher. He is the Ursula Zoellner Professor of Cancer Research at the University of Cambridge, and the Director of the Medical Research Council Cancer Unit.[1]

Education

Venkitaraman initially trained in medicine at the Christian Medical College, Vellore, India, before completing his PhD at University College London. He undertook post-doctoral research at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, before becoming a member of its faculty. In 1998 he was elected as the first holder of the Zoellner Professorship.[2]

Research

Venkitaraman is widely recognised for his research into chromosomal instability and cancer, particularly with relation to the breast cancer susceptibility gene, BRCA2.[3] Professor Venkitaraman and his research group were among the first to elucidate the function of BRCA2 in guarding the integrity of human chromosomes, and its role in the development of cancers.[4][5] Combining structural, biophysical, biochemical, genetic and molecular biologic approaches, Venkitaraman’s work helps to explain how BRCA2 monitors the duplication, repair and segregation of genetic information encoded in chromosomes.[6][7][8][9] These insights have subsequently led to the development of new treatments for cancers arising in patients who carry BRCA2 mutations.[5] Venkitaraman’s work on BRCA2 has also provided a conceptual framework for understanding other human genetic diseases in which chromosomal instability is connected with predisposition to cancer.[10]

Venkitaraman leads a number of collaborative research initiatives with centres in India.[11] He has worked extensively with industry to help develop drugs against cancer and other diseases. Having completed appointments with Astex Therapeutics, Cambridge Antibody Technology/MedImmune, he is currently the Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board and a Non-Executive Director of Sentinel Oncology.[12]

Venkitaraman is also a Fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge.[13]

Honours

References

  1. ↑ MRC Cancer Unit Professor Ashok Venkitaraman biography
  2. ↑ University of Cambridge announcement
  3. ↑ Venkitaraman, A. R. (2002). "Cancer Susceptibility and the Functions of BRCA1 and BRCA2". Cell. 108 (2): 171–182. doi:10.1016/S0092-8674(02)00615-3. PMID 11832208.
  4. ↑ University of Cambridge news story
  5. 1 2 Venkitaraman AR (March 2014). "Cancer Suppression by the Chromosome Custodians, BRCA1 and BRCA2". Science. 343 (6178): 1470–75. doi:10.1126/science.1252230. PMID 24675954.
  6. ↑ Patel, K. J.; Yu, V. P.; Lee, H; Corcoran, A; Thistlethwaite, F. C.; Evans, M. J.; Colledge, W. H.; Friedman, L. S.; Ponder, B. A.; Venkitaraman, A. R. (1998). "Involvement of Brca2 in DNA repair". Molecular Cell. 1 (3): 347–57. doi:10.1016/s1097-2765(00)80035-0. PMID 9660919.
  7. ↑ Pellegrini L, Yu DS, Lo T, Anand S, Lee M, Blundell TL, Venkitaraman AR (November 2002). "Insights into DNA recombination from the structure of a RAD51-BRCA2 complex". Nature. 420 (6913): 287–93. doi:10.1038/nature01230. PMID 12442171.
  8. ↑ Lomonosov M, Anand S, Sangrithi M, Davies R, Venkitaraman AR (December 2003). "Stabilization of stalled DNA replication forks by the BRCA2 breast cancer susceptibility protein". Genes & Development. 17 (24): 3017–22. doi:10.1101/gad.279003. PMC 305253Freely accessible. PMID 14681210.
  9. ↑ Daniels MJ, Wang Y, Lee M, Venkitaraman AR (October 2004). "Abnormal cytokinesis in cells deficient in the breast cancer susceptibility protein BRCA2". Science. 306 (5697): 876–9. doi:10.1126/science.1102574. PMID 15375219.
  10. ↑ Sangrithi MN, Bernal JA, Madine M, Philpott A, Lee J, Dunphy WG, Venkitaraman AR (June 2005). "Initiation of DNA replication requires the RECQL4 protein mutated in Rothmund-Thomson syndrome". Cell. 6 (5697): 887–98. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2005.05.015. PMID 15960976.
  11. ↑ Feature in The Hindu
  12. ↑ List of Board members Archived July 14, 2014, at the Wayback Machine.
  13. ↑ Pembroke College List of Fellows
  14. ↑ Directory of Elected Fellows
  15. ↑ EMBO Membership list 2012
  16. ↑ Cambridge University news story
  17. ↑ Statement on Academy website
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