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Professor Keith Caldecott, a University of Sussex scientist who heads up world-leading research into genetic disease, has been named among this year’s new Royal Society Fellows for his outstanding contributions to medical research. 

Professor Caldecott is one of the world’s leading researchers in the field of human genome damage and stability. His work has focused on identifying new human genes that repair DNA and uncovering their biological roles and importance for maintaining genome integrity and human health.  

Professor Caldecott is Deputy Director of the Genome Damage and Stability Centre in the School of Life Sciences, having joined the University in 2002. He has been elected previously to the European Molecular Biology Organisation and to The Academy of Medical Sciences.   

Professor Caldecott’s work has identified novel genetic causes of neurodegeneration and has contributed to the clinical diagnosis and understanding of hereditary neurological diseases caused by broken DNA.  For example, his laboratory discovered the function of the novel human gene TDP2, and identified mutations in this gene as a cause of developmental delay, cerebellar degeneration, and seizures. Professor Caldecott’s work has enabled better clinical diagnosis and management of children and adults affected by this and many other related diseases, worldwide. His work has uncovered promising new therapeutic avenues to explore.  

Professor Caldecott, Professor of Genome Stability in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Sussex, said:

 “It is great honour to be elected a fellow of the Royal Society, and a testament to the quality of the people that I have worked with during my career, including many fantastic students, postdoctoral fellows, and laboratory and academic colleagues. I am also indebted to my many mentors here at the University of Sussex and further afield, and particularly Penny Jeggo, Larry Thompson, Tomas Lindahl, Laurence Pearl, and Steve West, all of whom I learned much from as a student and young scientist." 

Professor Sarah Guthrie, Head of the School of Life Sciences at the University of Sussex, said:

 “I am absolutely delighted that Keith Caldecott has been elected to the Royal Society, an honour entirely befitting his outstanding science, dedication and leadership in his field. As Deputy Director of our internationally-recognised Genome Damage and Stability Centre, he is pre-eminent in a critical research area at the boundary between genome damage mechanisms and neuroscience, which impacts on future treatments for human disease. The School of Life Sciences is very proud of his achievements and he will continue to inspire generations of scientists to come.” 

Professor Keith Jones, our Pro-Vice-Chancellor Research & Enterprise and Interim Provost, at the University of Sussex, said:

“This is a marvelous accolade, richly deserved by someone exemplary in his field. The University of Sussex, and colleagues in his School and laboratory can be deservedly proud of having supported Keith in achieving this high recognition. I hope Keith will be a great ambassador for the University in his future work as a Fellow of the Royal Society.” 

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