About the TalkBoth S-phase and mitosis are common to all cell cycles and both are necessary forthe two newly divided cells to receive a full complement of genes. In fission yeast, the onset of S-phase and mitosis can be controlled by a single cyclin dependent kinase with different levels of CDK activity bringing about progression through the cell cycle in an orderly fashion. A low CDK activity is sufficient to bring about S-phase whilst a high activity blocks a further S-phase and is needed for onset of mitosis. A G2 cell can be programmed to undergo either S-phase or mitosis simply by modifying CDK activity indicating there is no inherent direction in the cell cycle.About the SpeakerSir Paul Nurse has had an outstanding career as scientific leader of severalprestigious organisations, with significant influence on both health and education, marked by a strong commitment to excellence in learning, research and knowledge transfer. He is one of the world’s foremost biochemists and geneticists. In 2001, he received the Nobel Prize in Medicine, shared with Tim Holt and Lee Hartwell, for their discoveries of protein molecules that control the duplication of cells.This public lecture is organised in conjunction with the World Cultural Council Award 2013 (WCCA) and the THE World Academic Summit (WAS). For more information,please visit www.WCCA2013.org and www.theworldacademicsummit.com