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Symposium for Michael D. Waterfield, F.R.S.

On April 1st, 1986, Dr. Michael (Mike) Waterfield became the Founding Director of the London University College Branch of LICR. Exactly twenty-two years later, approximately 100 of Dr. Waterfield’s former students and colleagues gathered at The Royal Society in London to celebrate his research contributions and acknowledge his mentorship of generations of scientists.

The symposium was organized by three of Dr. Waterfield’s former staff: Dr. Julian Downward, F.R.S., who did his Ph.D. with Dr. Waterfield at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund (now Cancer Research UK); Dr. Peter Parker, F.R.S., a former Group Leader at the LICR Branch, and; Dr. Sarah White, who was a post-doctoral fellow in the Waterfield group before joining the LICR Office of Communications in New York.

Eleven distinguished presenters, one of whom was LICR Uppsala Branch Director Dr. Carl-Henrik Heldin, were chosen to represent different points of research interest in Dr. Waterfield’s career. The final presenter was Dr. Michael Moore, CEO of PIramed Ltd, LICR’s first spin-off company (see accompanying NewsLink story). Dr. Moore described how the research championed for many years by Dr. Waterfield, had resulted thus far, in the initiation of a clinical trial for a PI3K inhibitor. The day’s official program (listed at the end of this piece) was capped by LICR President Mr. Edward McDermott, Jr. presenting Dr. Waterfield with the D.K. Ludwig Award.

Dr. Waterfield’s response was at times humorous, particularly when he reminisced about his early research days in San Francisco, and at times touching. He paid particular tribute to his wife, Sally, for supporting him and for also supporting many of the individuals who passed through his laboratory over the years.

Perhaps the most delightful aspect of the day was the reunion of so many former LICR Branch staff at the event. Attendees came from all over England, and also from the USA, Greece and Spain.

“Thank you especially for awarding me the DK Ludwig Medal - LICR provided me with such freedom, over so many years, and such immense funds, that allowed me to generate an atmosphere for creative cancer research which I could spend pages describing. I am so happy to be able to support and to watch the progress of our scientific ideas into the clinic continue through PIramed - all of this sprang from LICR and was supported by collaborative CRUK partnerships plus the deep experience and skill of Michael Moore.”

Michael D. Waterfield Ph.D., Founding Director, LICR London Branch (by email)

Symposium Program

Morning Session - Chair: Peter Parker

“Modulation of the ARF-p53 tumour suppressor pathway by polyoma virus” - Michael Fried, University California San Francisco

“Signaling via receptors for PDGF and TGF-beta: possible targets in tumor therapy” - Carl-Henrik Heldin, LICR Uppsala Branch

“Protein-Protein Interactions as Novel Drug Targets in Hepatitis C Virus” - Donny Strosberg, Scripps Florida

“Ras and PI 3-kinase signaling networks in cancer” - Julian Downward, London Research Institute CR UK

“It all began with Mike! Research in the Pre-Omics and Pre-Target Era” - Axel Ullrich, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry

“EGF Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Resistance and Rational Anti-Cancer Drug Combinations” - John Haley, OSI Pharmaceuticals

Afternoon Session - Chair: Julian Downward

“Rho GTPases and cell migration” - Anne Ridley, King’s College London

“Genetic analysis of glycogen synthase kinase-3: 20 years later” - James Woodgett, Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute

“PKC - from notion to function” - Peter Parker, London Research Institute CR UK

“From Clone o to a new target in inflammation & oncology” - Bart Vanhaesebroeck, Barts & The London School of Medicine

“From target to treatment: Realising a life scientist's dream” - Michael Moore, PIramed Ltd

Presentation of the D.K. Ludwig Medal - Edward McDermott, Jr., LICR President

Michael D. Waterfield, F.R.S.

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