| Citation | St Johnston is distinguished for his contributions to our understanding of the establishment of body axes in development. Working with Drosophila, he has shown not only how the first asymmetries arise, but has also provided by far the most detailed description, for any organism, of how axis formation arises during development. He has
pioneered the study of the mechanisms by means of which specific mRNAs are localised within cells, and these mechanisms are highly conserved, from flies to mammals. He has recently made remarkable discoveries with respect to the phylogenetically conserved pathways that generate cell polarity. |