Centre Lures Cancer Scientist

A DUNDEE-BORN cancer scientist will return to his native city later this year attracted by the “superb” research and experimental facilities on offer at Dundee University’s new Centre for Interdisciplinary Research.

The £20 million centre is under construction and will also be home to scientists with whom Professor Ronald Hay will collaborate in his new role as professor of molecular biology.

The former Harris Academy pupil has, since 1985, been at St Andrews University, initially as a lecturer and latterly in the same role as the one he will assume at Dundee in October.

Professor Hay gained his PhD at Glasgow University’s Institute of Virology but it was three years of post-doctorate training at Harvard Medical School that gave him an international perspective on the cancer research taking place in Dundee. He said, “Dundee is at the forefront of cancer research internationally, no doubt about that, and that’s a major reason for going there.”

At St Andrews, Professor Hay has been learning how specific proteins can cause cancer of the blood and he and his team have been investigating methods to reverse the build-up of this protein.

When he moves across the Tay to Dundee, he will continue to work in several different areas of cancer research, asking questions about how cells divide and what happens when they go out of control.

He added, “There is a superb infrastructure in terms of equipment and facilities for experimenting. There will also be a number of people in the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research with whom I’ll be able to directly collaborate.”

Taken from "The Courier", March 16, 2005