PROFESSOR SIR Philip Cohen, of Dundee University, is being honoured by Britain’s leading science body, writes Grant Smith, education reporter.

He is to receive a Royal Medal, awarded to only three people annually by the Royal Society, one each for the physical, biological and applied sciences.

Founded in 1660, the London-based society is the UK national academy of science. Its work includes supporting research, promoting science education and influencing public policy.

Royal medals are only granted to those whose research has had profound implications—like Professor Cohen’s contribution to understanding the protein phosphorylation process.

This acts as a control mechanism in cells in the body. Abnormalities in how it works can be a cause or consequence of conditions including cancer, diabetes and inflammatory diseases.

Sir Philip is director of the Medical Research Council’s protein phosphorylation unit and will head the new Scottish Institute for Cell Signalling.

He said, “I am delighted to have received this honour, which is only awarded to one scientist in the UK biological sciences community each year.

“Coming so soon after my election to the US National Academy of Sciences, this has been quite a year for the MRC protein phosphorylation unit at Dundee.”

He said recent achievements by his colleagues included Dario Alessi being elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, John Rouse receiving the Colworth Medal of the Biochemical Society and Kei Sakamoto receiving the Young Investigator Award of the American Physiological Society.

His Royal Medal is the 37th honour Sir Philip has received in his career.

He has worked at Dundee University since 1971 and has been a Royal Society research professor since 1984.