People

Professor John Norton

Emeritus Professor
School of Life Sciences
Professor John Norton

Profile

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 (2003-2013) 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 (2010-2012). 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)

Qualifications

  • BSc Hons Biochemistry Liverpool,

  • PhD Molecular Biology Hull,

Research and professional activities

Research interests

Molecular mechanisms in tumourigenesis: the role of Id helix-loop-helix proteins and RNA-binding proteins in cell growth, differentiation and tumourigenesis

Dissecting transcriptional regulatory networks in cancer

Development of molecular markers for cancer diagnostics

Current research

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.

Teaching and supervision

Previous supervision

Taniya Kawatra
Taniya Kawatra
Thesis title: Reverse Engineering of Id Gene Regulatory Networks in Ovarian Cancer
Degree subject: Biological Sciences
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 23/2/2015
Asma Salman
Asma Salman
Thesis title: Semi-Rational Design and Characterisation of Peptide Ligands to Manipulate Id Protein Function
Degree subject: Molecular Medicine
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 9/1/2014
Sarah Weiler
Sarah Weiler
Thesis title: Id Proteins as Determinants of Drug-Induced Cell Death in B-Cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia
Degree subject: Biological Sciences
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 13/2/2013
Foster Kyei
Foster Kyei
Thesis title: Id Proteins in the Regulation of Mammalian Cell Cycle, Growth and Survival
Degree subject: Molecular Medicine
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 25/6/2012

Publications

Journal articles (4)

Weiler, S., Ademokun, JA. and Norton, JD., (2015). ID helix-loop-helix proteins as determinants of cell survival in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells in vitro. Molecular Cancer. 14 (1)

Fei, P., Zekavati, A., Nasir, A., Alcaraz, A., Aldrovandi, M., Marsh, P., Norton, JD. and Murphy, JJ., (2014). Post-Transcriptional Regulation of BCL2 mRNA by the RNA-Binding Protein ZFP36L1 in Malignant B Cells. PloS One. 9 (7), creators-Norton=3AJohn_D=3A=3A

Liao, CCL., Mehta, A., Ward, NJ., Marsh, S., Arulampalam, T. and Norton, JD., (2010). Analysis of post-operative changes in serum protein expression profiles from colorectal cancer patients by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry: a pilot methodological study.. World journal of surgical oncology. 8 (1), creators-Norton=3AJohn_D=3A=3A

Liao, CCL., Ward, NJ., Marsh, S., Arulampalam, T. and Norton, JD., (2010). Mass spectrometry protein expression profiles in colorectal cancer tissue associated with clinico-pathological features of disease.. BMC cancer. 10, creators-Norton=3AJohn_D=3A=3A

Contact

jnorton@essex.ac.uk

Location:

3SW.3.18, Colchester Campus