One of the UK's most distinguished scientists has been awarded the Nobel Prize for his ground-breaking work on cells.

Sir Paul Nurse, 52, from Oxford, the director general of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund (ICRF), joins a roll of illustrious scientists who have won the accolade for medicine or physiology - including Sir Alexander Fleming, for his discovery of penicillin. Sir Paul lives in Woodstock Road with his wife and two daughters, and has professional links with the city.

He has been awarded the Nobel Prize, in its 100th year, because of his studies into cell division, which have greatly enhanced scientists' understanding of the nature of cancer cells and how they grow.

He said: "Naturally I am thrilled to win the Nobel Prize, particularly as the prize celebrates its centenary this year. But this is a team effort.

"Advances in cancer don't happen overnight, but thanks to long-term research with long-term funding of the type provided by ICRF, we now have a better idea of how cancer actually develops.

"That knowledge will underpin future prevention and treatment strategies."