Dr Stephen West

Dr. Stephen West is a distinguished molecular biologist and a senior group leader at the Francis Crick Institute, London, with a career spanning over three decades in the field of genetic recombination and DNA repair. Born in Hessle, Yorkshire, in 1952, he pursued his academic interests in biochemistry at Newcastle University, later moving to the United States to conduct post-doctoral work in molecular biophysics and biochemistry at Yale University under the guidance of Paul Howard-Flanders. His early research laid the foundation for his later groundbreaking work in DNA repair mechanisms.

In 1985, Dr. West returned to the UK and established a research group at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund’s Clare Hall Laboratories in South Mimms, which later evolved into the Cancer Research UK London Research Institute and, eventually, the Francis Crick Institute. His research has significantly advanced the understanding of the molecular processes involved in genetic recombination and DNA strand break repair. His work has important implications for human health, especially in understanding how defects in these repair processes contribute to diseases like breast cancer and various neurological disorders.

Dr. West’s leadership in the scientific community is exemplified by his role as a keynote speaker at major international conferences, particularly those focused on DNA repair and tumorigenesis. He has been instrumental in organising prominent scientific gatherings, such as the biannual ‘Recombination Mechanisms’ conference, and has co-organized several conferences on DNA repair in Europe and Asia. His contribution to the scientific community extends beyond research as he serves on the editorial boards of renowned journals like *DNA Repair* and *EMBO Reports*.

Throughout his career, Dr. West has been recognized with numerous prestigious awards and honours. He received the Royal Medal in 2022, the Lifetime Achievement Award in Cancer Research in 2018, and the Genome Stability Network Medal in 2015. His accolades also include the GlaxoSmithKline Prize, the Novartis Medal and Prize, and the Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine. Dr. West’s scholarly achievements have earned him widespread recognition, including election as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1995 and membership in several esteemed academic societies, such as the Academia Europaea and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Dr. West’s research continues to make significant contributions to the fields of genetics and cancer biology. His work not only enhances our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms that maintain genome stability but also provides insights into the molecular basis of various human diseases. As a leader in his field, Dr. Stephen West has cemented his place as a key figure in advancing scientific knowledge and improving global health outcomes.