Harvard University & Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Andrew Murray received his undergraduate education at Clare College, Cambridge and his Ph.D. from Harvard Medical School. He then spent 15 years at the University of California, San Francisco as a post-doctoral fellow and faculty member before returning to Harvard. Currently, Murray is a Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology and co-director of the FAS Center for Systems Biology at Harvard University. Murray’s lab uses budding yeast to investigate the general principles of how cells transmit genetic information during cell division and mating and how they evolve in response to selective pressure. Members of his lab use math and physics, as well as biology, to test possible models.
Andrew Murray argues that while many scientists became scientists because they were influenced by an inspirational teacher — reason enough to teach science, there are also other, more selfish, reasons. (Talk recorded in September 2011)
Andrew Murray explains why he studies sex in yeast not humans. He starts by describing the yeast life cycle and the decision to mate or shmoo. (Talk recorded in September 2011)