Lionel Vivian Crawford

Abstract Lionel Crawford made outstanding contributions to our knowledge of DNA tumour viruses. His work had profound impact on understanding how tumour viruses subvert the cells they infect and on identifying cellular proteins, encoded by tumour suppressor genes, that protect cells from tumorigenesis. He co-discovered the tumour suppressor protein p53 and showed that it becomes inactivated in many human cancers. He became a world leader in understanding papilloma viruses, which he studied intermittently throughout his career. His lab initiated the development of the vaccine against cervical cancer, an enormous contribution to human health, but one for which he received little recognition. In addition to the impact of his remarkable research record, Lionel Crawford was an exceptional leader and mentor who can list at least five Fellows of the Royal Society among his lab's protégés.