Sir Alan Fersht stands as a preeminent figure in the molecular sciences whose career has profoundly shaped our understanding of protein architecture and function. He currently serves as Emeritus Professor of Chemistry and group leader at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, University of Cambridge, where he continues active research despite his emeritus status. Fersht completed his undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Natural Sciences and Chemistry at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, from 1962 to 1968, establishing the foundation for his distinguished career. He joined the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology as a group leader in 1969, working closely with Nobel laureate Max Perutz in room 309, and later held prestigious positions including Wolfson Research Professor of the Royal Society at Imperial College London from 1978 to 1988. His appointment as Herchel Smith Professor of Organic Chemistry at Cambridge in 1988 marked a significant milestone before his directorship of the Cambridge Centre for Protein Engineering from 1990 to 2010.
Fersht's groundbreaking research introduced the seminal concept that kcat/Km represents the physiological specificity constant in enzyme kinetics, resolving longstanding ambiguities in how enzymes discriminate between substrates. His pioneering collaboration with Greg Winter beginning in 1981 established the field of protein engineering, enabling the rational design of novel enzymes with therapeutic applications through site-directed mutagenesis. His laboratory developed innovative multidisciplinary approaches combining molecular biology, rapid reaction techniques, NMR spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography to elucidate the pathways of protein folding and misfolding. His investigations into the structural basis of tumor suppressor failure in cancer have provided critical mechanistic insights with direct implications for oncology research and therapeutic development. These contributions have fundamentally transformed biochemical research methodologies and continue to inform drug discovery efforts across the pharmaceutical industry.
As Director of the Cambridge Centre for Protein Engineering for two decades, Fersht cultivated an international research community that has propelled protein science into new therapeutic frontiers. His mentorship has shaped generations of scientists, many of whom now lead prominent laboratories worldwide specializing in structural biology and molecular design. Despite his emeritus designation, Fersht maintains an active research program funded by an MRC Programme Grant, focusing on protein misfolding diseases and cancer mechanisms with cutting-edge biophysical methodologies. His authoritative textbooks, particularly Enzyme Structure and Mechanism, remain essential references that have educated countless researchers in the principles of enzymology. Through his ongoing investigations at the interface of chemistry and biology, Fersht continues to inspire new approaches to understanding protein behavior with implications for both fundamental science and medical applications.
