Sir Tim Hunt reflects on his career and about the importance of collaboration in order to further ideas; as well as what it means to be a scientist.

He was awarded the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discoveries of protein molecules that control the division (duplication) of cells.

When cells with nuclei divide, they divide in phases called G1 (growth), S (synthesis), G2 (growth), and M (mitosis). Along with his colleagues, Nurse and Hartwell, the team discovered two proteins, cyclin and CDK (cyclin dependent kinase), that control the transition from one stage to another. These proteins provide checkpoints in cell division and indicate if a cell divides properly.

If the cell doesn't divide correctly, other proteins will attempt to repair it, and if unsuccessful, they will destroy the cell. If a cell divides incorrectly and survives, it can cause cancer and other serious diseases.