Tom Curran discovered the fos oncogene and described its role in gene regulation and signal transduction. He also identified the Reelin gene and elaborated its role in formation of laminar structures in the developing brain. Currently, he is uncovering new approaches for the treatment of paediatric brain tumours by integrating an understanding of normal brain development with the genetics of brain tumours. He conducted preclinical and clinical studies supporting development of inhibitors of the Hedgehog pathway for treatment of the childhood brain tumour, medulloblastoma.

He obtained a BSc in biological sciences from the University of Edinburgh and his PhD from the Imperial Cancer Research Fund Laboratories and University College London in 1982. He served as President of the American Association of Cancer Research in 2001 and on the Board of Scientific Advisors of the National Cancer Institute from 2000–2005. He is a member of the US Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a founding Fellow of the American Association for Cancer Research.