2010 Genetics Society Medal
Prof Lawrence Hurst, University of Bath
The GS medal is awarded annually to recognise outstanding research contributions in genetics and the Genetics Society is delighted to announce that the winner of the 2010 medal is Professor Laurence Hurst of the University of Bath.
Laurence is internationally recognised for his numerous seminal contributions to evolutionary genetics and comparative genomics.
Aside from his discovery of many of the major determinants of the rate of protein evolution, he is well known for work that over-turned the orthodoxy. While it was commonly assumed that gene order in eukaryotes is random, Laurence showed not just that it wasn't but also has dissected the underlying reasons. Similarly, it has long been considered that synonymous mutations in mammals must be effectively neutral.
Laurence showed how and why this wasn't true.
That we now know the genetic code is no frozen accident is in large part a result of Laurence's work.