Tony Hunter was born in Kent (United Kingdom) in 1943. He earned his doctorate from Cambridge University (1969), and at present pursues his research interests at the laboratory for molecular and cellular biology at the Salk Institute, in La Jolla, California. Considered to be one of the world's top experts in the study of cell growth-regulating genes, Hunter discovered the phosphorylation of tyrosine kinase, which led the way towards research into these enzymes and the role they play in the transduction, development and growth of cancer-causing cells. Knowledge of tyrosine kinase has been a determining factor in the development of a new generation of drugs to treat oncological conditions. Doctor Hunter is a member of the European Molecular Biology Organisation, of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and of the Royal Society of London. He was awarded the Medal of Honour of the American Cancer Society.