March, the season of warmth and blossoms, heralds the arrival of spring.
At the age of 92 and with four previous marriages under his belt, media mogul Rupert Murdoch is about to embark on what some are calling his fifth "spring" in life. Recently, Murdoch announced his engagement to 67-year-old molecular biologist Elena Zhukova. This news has certainly captured the attention of the public, leaving many to exclaim, "The world of the wealthy is beyond our comprehension."
Rupert Murdoch and Elena Zhukova. Source: Reuters
When it comes to Murdoch, he's a household name, renowned for building a media empire from the ground up and for the tumultuous twists and turns of his personal life. But what piques curiosity is his 67-year-old bride, Elena Zhukova, a woman of considerable accomplishments in the field of science.
What kind of allure does this elegant and enigmatic female scientist possess?
"A captivating molecular biologist"
Elena Zhukova
Elena was born in the former Soviet Union. Since 1979, she has been working at the Central Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion of the Soviet Ministry of Health, mainly engaged in research in molecular virology and molecular biology. During the period of the Soviet Union's dissolution in 1991, she moved to the United States and served as a research assistant at the Diabetes Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine. A few years later, she transitioned to become a researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Elena's primary research focuses on molecular virology and molecular biology. According to inquiries by reporters, she has published several influential papers. Throughout her professional career, she has proposed various promising treatments for diabetes and opened up new therapeutic avenues.
Taking one of Elena's papers as an example, titled "Expression of the human insulin gene in the gastric G cells of transgenic mice," it demonstrates clever and forward-thinking design.
Elena and her team discovered through studies on animal models that the gastric cells of experimental animals can release insulin when eating to maintain stable blood sugar levels. They believe that this indicates the potential use of gastric cells to produce insulin for the treatment of diabetes.
Additionally, Elena and her colleagues were pleasantly surprised to find that the insulin produced by gastric cells during eating does not lead to dangerous hypoglycemic reactions. This suggests that producing insulin through this method may be a safer treatment approach.
In addition to her diabetes research, Elena has conducted mechanistic studies on intestinal epithelial cells, particularly focusing on the regulation of G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathways. The research subjects cover key factors such as FAK, Pyk2, protein kinase D, as well as oxidative stress-induced protein kinase C activation and redistribution. Correspondingly, Elena has published several peer-reviewed scientific papers in journals such as J. Cell Physiol, Endocrinology, and J. Biol Chem. These findings reveal important mechanisms and functions in signal molecule regulation, activation of cyclic phosphorylation, cell migration, and adhesion.
By the time Elena retired from UCLA in 2010, she was already a professor of biology, and her colleagues highly praised her contributions and dedication. Her former colleague and current Scientific Review Officer at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Slaes, commented, "Elena's research in diabetes is respected, and if her funding had not dried up, her research could have been very promising."
"No Stranger to the Limelight"
Many people imagine the union of Murdoch and Elena as a story of "media tycoon prince" and "Cinderella scientist."
In fact, it is not the case; Elena is no stranger to the "limelight." Her ex-husband Alexander Zhukov has quite the reputation: he is a bona fide Russian oligarch, being both a billionaire in the energy investment field and a prominent Russian politician. According to news reports, they divorced as early as 2008.
What also brought Elena into the spotlight is her daughter with Zhukov — Dasha Zhukova, a top-tier Russian socialite. Dasha's marriages have also been highly publicized; she has been married to Russian tycoon and former owner of the English Premier League club Chelsea, Roman Abramovich, as well as to the billionaire heir of the Greek shipping empire, Stavros Niarchos.
The social fashion magazine Tatler described Dasha Zhukova as "the center of a vast power network, including the art world, Russian oligarchs, and one of the most influential shipping dynasties in the world."
Elena Zhukova and her daughter Dasha Zhukova in the middle and right, respectively. Source: Shutterstock
People are beginning to wonder what Elena, who's in the limelight, is like when it comes to juggling family responsibilities and her scientific endeavors.
Dasha once described her mother as a "very serious scientist" and reminisced about how their home was often filled with "geeky researchers visiting" since her childhood.
When asked by reporters why Elena left the Soviet Union with her 9-year-old daughter in 1990, Dasha explained, "After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, my mother couldn't cope with the sudden changes. She found it challenging to live in such an aggressive environment." She added, "In fact, we didn't immigrate to the United States; we thought we would live there for a year or two. It was unimaginable to leave at that age, with a child, and go to a strange place."
Elena's former colleague, Sles, was asked by reporters if he noticed Elena's wealth. He replied, "When I met her at the University of California, Los Angeles, her lifestyle was quite affluent. She lived in a house in the upscale neighborhood of Westwood, Los Angeles, adjacent to Beverly Hills." Westwood is a renowned upscale community in Los Angeles, with the iconic Playboy Mansion located there.
He added, "Elena had a glamorous lifestyle, but she didn't flaunt it in the lab." He continued, "She's quite private, and her lifestyle isn't evident in the workplace. For a scientist of her caliber, her clothes and car are quite 'standard.'"
Finding True Love Again
The combination of a media mogul and a female scientist seems unlikely. How did these two individuals come to know each other?
Interestingly, the "matchmaker" in this love story was none other than Murdoch's ex-wife, Wendi Deng. A source told the Daily Mail, "They were introduced through Wendi and Dasha." It's understood that Wendi Deng is a friend of Elena's daughter, Dasha, and it was through her introduction that Elena met Murdoch.
Moreover, their common ground was science. Despite Murdoch's primary involvement in the media industry, he's no stranger to the field of science. His investments span various research organizations and magazine publishing companies, including the prestigious Nature Publishing Group. Additionally, he's keen on investing in scientific research and innovation.
According to news reports, Elena and Murdoch started dating in August 2023. However, there were rumors that just two months before they began dating, Murdoch had proposed to a model and flight attendant, but they quickly broke up due to "irreconcilable differences."
Murdoch to Tie the Knot Again: Who is Elena Zhukova?
Rupert Murdoch and Elena are planning to exchange vows on June 1st at Murdoch's estate in California, marking Murdoch's fifth walk down the aisle. Despite being 92, a close friend revealed that Murdoch is taking this step because "he doesn't like being alone."
Both Murdoch and Elena have had their fair share of failed marriages, with Murdoch having been divorced four times and Elena twice. However, in their twilight years, they have chosen to embark on this journey of matrimony once again.
But will Elena be Murdoch's last Mrs.? Insiders suggest that with Murdoch's energy rivaling that of someone in their 40s, he may yet find himself in love again. Hence, only time will tell if Elena will hold the title of Murdoch's final spouse.
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