Anthony Pawson Cell-Protein Breakthrough Biologist Dies at 60

Anthony Pawson, an infamous Canadian cell biologist passed away at the age of 60, according to the New York Times.

Dr. Pawson was especially noted for his path breaking insights about how cells communicate with one another.

He also resolved one of science's biggest mysteries and helped spur the development of a class of drugs that target cancer, diabetes and other diseases.

The cause of his death is unknown because family and friends declined to disclose any information.

In 1990, Dr. Pawson and his research team identified the specific protein interactions involved in cell signaling - the process by which cells one another what to do, when to do it and when to stop.

Scientists have always known the cells communicate with each other but no one was aware of its exact cellular mechanism until he pointed it out.

His research pinpointed that this mechanism involved a protein structure on the surface of every cell membrane.

He called this structure the SH2 domain and it serves as a landing pad for signaling proteins, which in turn set off molecular chain reactions carry information to the cell's nucleus.

Anthony Hunter, professor of molecular and cell biology at the Salk Institute Cancer Center in San Diego, called the identification of the SH2 domain an "enormously influential idea" that introduced scientists to a fundamentally new principle about how cells work.

"It was a seminal finding," said Dr. Hunter. He collaborated with Dr. Pawson on several papers about cell communication.