| Position in department | Director of MSc Biotechnology |
| Staff position | Professor in Molecular Biology |
| E-mail | jnorton (non Essex users should add @essex.ac.uk) |
| Telephone | 2918 (non Essex users should add 01206-87 to the beginning of this number) |
| Room | 5.25 |
| Biography | Posts and Training
Professor Norton was appointed to a Chair in the Department of Biological Sciences at Essex in January 2000. Prior to this he was Head of the CRC Department of Gene Regulation at the Paterson Institute for Cancer Research at the University of Manchester, having been a University Lecturer (University of Liverpool and Royal Free Hospital Medical School, London) since 1984. His Postdoctoral studies were in the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Warwick (1978-1983). He obtained a PhD in Molecular Biology at the University of Hull in 1980 and a BSc degree in Biochemistry at the University of Liverpool in 1975.
University of Essex:
Director of Masters in Biotechnology
External activities:
• Member of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Life Science Peer Review Panel (2003-2006)
• Specialist member of the EPSRC Biophotonics Sub-committee (2006)
• BBSRC Grants Committee member (2009-2010)
• Member of the International Union Against Cancer (IUAC) peer review panel
• UoE Board of Governors for Southend University Hospital Foundation Trust (2005-2008)
• External Advisor for the University Grants Committee of Hong Kong
• External Examiner (BSc Biomedical Sciences) for Queen Mary College, University of London.
Previous Departmental Activities:
• Head of Biomolecular Sciences Research Division (2000-2003)
• Graduate Director (2002-2003)
• Director of Biological Services Unit (2000-2003)
• Founding Director of Essex Biomedical Sciences Institute (EBSI) (2003-2008)
• Member of Departmental Academic Affairs Committee (2002-2003)
• Member of Head of Department Advisory Group (2000-2003)
• Member of University Health Strategy Group (2002-2008)
• Departmental Biohazards Safety Officer (2003-2006)
• Member of University Ethics Committee (2001-2003)
Membership of societies:
- Biochemical Society (1978-present)
- Society of General Microbiology (1984-present)
- British Society for Immunology (1995-present)
- America Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (elected, 2004)
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| Qualifications | BSc Hons Biochemistry (Liverpool) 1975
PhD Molecular Biology (Hull) 1980 |
| Current research | Over the last 30 years, Professsor Norton has had a major interest in the field of cancer research. He has published over 140 research papers and review articles. In addition to his earlier research on retroviruses and oncogenes, Professor Norton is known internationally for his pioneering work on the development of PCR-based diagnostics in leukaemia. Although he still maintains some interests in molecular diagnostics, his more recent work has focussed on the "Id" family of transcriptional regulators and their role in cell growth and tumourigenesis.
There are currently a number of on-going projects in the area of gene regulation in cancer and enquiries/applications from prospective PhD Students/Postdoctoral Fellows and Visiting Fellows interested in working in this general area are welcome.
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| Research interests |
- Molecular mechanisms in tumourigenesis: the role of Id helix-loop-helix proteins in cell growth, differentiation and tumourigenesis
- Dissecting transcriptional regulatory networks in cancer
- Development of molecular markers for cancer diagnostics
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| Teaching responsibilities | BS226 – Molecular Medicine and Drug Design (module organiser), BS227 - Disease Mechanisms and Therapeutics (module organiser), BS349 - Cancer Biology, BS938 - Molecular Medicine and Biotechnology (module organiser), BS312 - Bioinformatics (module organiser) from Oct 2011, BS934 - Gene and Protein Technology, BS984 - Masters Biotechnology Research Project (module organiser) |
| Publications | Link to publications for John Norton |