Azim Surani

Azim Surani. He is a British developmental biologist renowned for his pioneering discoveries in epigenetics and mammalian embryogenesis. His research fundamentally advanced the understanding of genomic imprinting and the specification of primordial germ cells, the precursors to sperm and eggs. A professor at the University of Cambridge and former director of its Gurdon Institute, Surani's work has had profound implications for reproductive biology, stem cell research, and assisted reproductive technology.

Early life and education

Azim Surani was born in Nairobi in the former Kenya Colony. He moved to the United Kingdom for his higher education, attending Peterhouse, Cambridge at the University of Cambridge where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Natural Sciences. He remained at Cambridge for his doctoral research, completing his PhD in 1974 under the supervision of the Nobel laureate Robert Edwards, a pioneer of in vitro fertilisation. This foundational training in mammalian embryology set the stage for his subsequent groundbreaking career.

Research and career

Surani's early postdoctoral work, conducted with Anne McLaren at the Medical Research Council's Mammalian Development Unit, involved critical studies on embryo transfer and chimeras. His most transformative contributions began in the 1980s and 1990s. In landmark experiments, Surani and his team demonstrated genomic imprinting in mammals, showing that specific genes are expressed differently depending on whether they are inherited from the mother or the father. This work, often paralleling findings by Davor Solter, revolutionized concepts of genetic inheritance and fetal development. Subsequently, his laboratory at the Gurdon Institute identified key signaling pathways, including those involving BMP signaling, that govern the development of primordial germ cells in mouse embryos. His research has extensively explored epigenetic reprogramming, the process by which DNA methylation and other chromatin marks are erased and reset during germline development, with major implications for stem cell biology and regenerative medicine.

Awards and honours

Surani has received numerous prestigious national and international awards for his scientific contributions. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1990 and a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization. His major honours include the Royal Medal from the Royal Society in 2018 and the Wolf Prize in Medicine in 2023, the latter shared with Rudolf Jaenisch. He was appointed a Knight Bachelor in the 2023 Birthday Honours for services to stem cell research. Surani has also been awarded the March of Dimes Prize in Developmental Biology, the Gairdner Foundation International Award, and the Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine.

Personal life

Azim Surani is married to Shamshad Surani. He has maintained a long-standing affiliation with the University of Cambridge and the Gurdon Institute, where he has mentored many leading scientists in the field of developmental biology. His work is supported by major funding bodies including the Wellcome Trust and the Medical Research Council.

Selected publications

* Surani, M.A.H., Barton, S.C., & Norris, M.L. (1984). Development of reconstituted mouse eggs suggests imprinting of the genome during gametogenesis. *Nature*. * Surani, M.A.H., Hayashi, K., & Hajkova, P. (2007). Genetic and epigenetic regulators of pluripotency. *Cell*. * Saitou, M., Barton, S.C., & Surani, M.A. (2002). A molecular programme for the specification of germ cell fate in mice. *Nature*. * Hackett, J.A., & Surani, M.A. (2013). Beyond DNA: programming and inheritance of epigenetic marks. *Science*. * Kagiwada, S., Kurimoto, K., Hirota, T., Yamaji, M., & Saitou, M. (2013). Replication-coupled passive DNA demethylation for the erasure of genome imprints in mice. *The EMBO Journal*.

Category:1945 births Category:Living people Category:British developmental biologists Category:Fellows of the Royal Society Category:Wolf Prize in Medicine laureates Category:University of Cambridge faculty Category:Knights Bachelor