COLUMBUS, Ohio – Sir Paul Nurse, OM, CH, FRS, is the recipient of the 26th Herbert and Maxine Block Memorial Lectureship Award for Distinguished Achievement in Cancer. A geneticist and cell biologist who shared the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, Nurse is founding director and chief executive officer of the Francis Crick Institute in London, England. Nurse will present on his research at a lecture at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) on Friday, Sept. 13. He will receive the $50,000 Block Memorial Lectureship Award, one of the largest prizes given by an academic institution in the field, at a private ceremony on the evening of Sept. 12. A renowned scientist, Nurse studies the regulatory networks that control the progression of events during the cell cycle. Understanding how cells properly manage cell division improves knowledge of conditions in which cell proliferation can lead to disease, such as cancer. Nurse has received numerous awards and honors for his research, including the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine along with Leland Hartwell, PhD, and Tim Hunt, PhD, in recognition of their discoveries of protein molecules that control cell division. “Dr. Nurse’s work has been foundational to comprehending how life of all kinds sustains itself and specifically understanding cellular mechanisms that lead to uncontrolled cell growth that drives cancer. We are thrilled to bestow this honor for his contributions to science and to introduce him to the compelling cancer research work happening in central Ohio,” said Raphael Pollock, MD, PhD, director of the OSUCCC – James. As part of this Block Lectureship Award recognition, Nurse selects an OSUCCC – James faculty mentee specializing in cancer research who is awarded an additional $25,000 prize to further their research. The 2024 Block Lectureship Junior Faculty Award recipient is Li Chun Tu, PhD, a member of the Molecular Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention Program at the OSUCCC – James and an assistant professor of biomedical chemistry and pharmacology in the College of Medicine. Tu’s research focuses on fundamental questions of how cells regulate gene expression – studying how normal cells work, how errors occur in diseased cells and how cancer cells interfere with the normal cell mechanisms so they can be fixed or stopped. Tu uses CRISPR cell imaging technology to aid in her research. Her current work is focused on genome organization and function in bone cancer. “I think you can never have too many mentors in science, especially when you get to work with such an established researcher who can offer valuable guidance. This is an exciting opportunity for me, and a great honor that I believe will impact my research in understanding genome biology in cancer,” said Tu. “I’m extremely grateful to the Block family for supporting cancer research at Ohio State and to Dr. Nurse for selecting me as this year’s Junior Faculty Award recipient.” The Block Memorial Lectureship is an international competitive annual recognition program of the OSUCCC – James to celebrate an individual whose contributions to cancer research, patient care and/or education have received international recognition. It is funded by proceeds from the annual Herbert J. Block Memorial Tournament, a golf outing established in 1982 by the Block family after their father, Herbert, died of cancer in 1981. Their mother, Maxine, died of cancer in 1998. Since its inception, the tournament has raised more than $6.5 million for the OSUCCC – James. To learn more about the Block Lectureship and awardees, visit cancer.osu.edu. ### MEDIA CONTACT: Amanda Harper amanda.harper2@osumc.edu | 614-685-5420 https://cancer.osu.edu/news