Greg Hannon was recognized for his contributions to small RNA biology, cancer biology, and mammalian genomics. He had a long history in discovery of cancer genes, beginning with work that led to the identification of CDK inhibitors and their links to cancer.
Later, his work focused on small RNA biology, which led to an understanding of the biochemical mechanisms and biological functions of RNAi. He developed widely used tools and strategies for manipulation of gene expression in mammalian cells and animals and generated genome-wide shRNA libraries that are available to the cancer community and was among the first to demonstrate roles for miRNAs in cancer.
His laboratory also discovered the piRNA pathway and linked this to transposon repression and the protection of germ cell genomes. He had a continuous history of collaboration and technological innovation, including the development of selective re-sequencing strategies, broadly termed exome capture.
Professor Gregory Hannon FMedSci FRS died on 6 April 2026.
Professional position
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Research Institute, University of Cambridge
