Alec Jeffreys facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir
Alec Jeffreys
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Alec Jeffreys, 2009
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| Born | 9 January 1950 Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
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| Education | University of Oxford (BA, DPhil) |
| Known for | Genetic fingerprinting |
| Spouse(s) |
Susan Miles
(m. 1971) |
| Awards |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Genetics |
| Institutions | |
| Thesis | Studies on the mitochondria of cultured mammalian cells (1975) |
Sir Alec John Jeffreys (born January 9, 1950) is a British scientist. He is famous for inventing genetic fingerprinting and DNA profiling. These methods use DNA to identify people. They help police solve crimes and also help families prove relationships.
Alec Jeffreys is a professor of genetics at the University of Leicester. In 1994, Queen Elizabeth II made him a "Sir". This was to honor his very important work in genetics.
Contents
Discovering Science: Alec Jeffreys' Early Life
Alec Jeffreys was born in Oxford, England. His family moved to Luton, Bedfordshire when he was six. He says he got his curiosity from his father and grandfather. They were both inventors.
When he was eight, his father gave him a chemistry set. He added more chemicals to it over time. He liked making small explosions. Once, some acid splashed and left a scar on his chin. His father also bought him an old microscope. He used it to look at tiny living things.
Around age 12, he made his own dissecting kit. He used it to study a bumblebee. One Sunday, he found a deceased cat. He brought it home and started to dissect it. This caused a bad smell in the house!
Education and University
Alec Jeffreys went to Luton Grammar School. He then studied at Merton College, Oxford. In 1971, he earned a top degree in biochemistry. He continued his studies at the University of Oxford. He earned his PhD by studying cells.
Career and Research
After his PhD, Alec Jeffreys worked in Amsterdam. He studied genes in mammals there. In 1977, he moved to the University of Leicester. In 1984, he made a huge discovery. He found a way to see differences in people's DNA. This led to his invention of genetic fingerprinting.
Genetic Fingerprinting
Alec Jeffreys had a "eureka moment" on September 10, 1984. He was looking at an X-ray image of a DNA experiment. It showed both similarities and differences in a family's DNA. He quickly realized how important this could be.
DNA fingerprinting uses tiny differences in genetic information. This helps identify people. It became very important in forensic science. Police use it to solve crimes. It also helps with paternity testing and immigration cases.
Before 1987, only his lab could do DNA fingerprinting. They were very busy with requests from all over the world.
First Uses of DNA Fingerprinting
In 1985, Jeffreys helped with an immigration case. He confirmed a boy's identity using DNA. The results showed the boy was related to his family. This brought great relief to the family.
His method also helped solve a very important case. It identified a person who had committed serious crimes. This also proved that an innocent man was not guilty. Jeffreys' work helped clear the innocent man's name. This story was even made into books and TV shows.
In 1992, his methods helped identify a body. DNA from a bone was compared to DNA from family members. This was similar to how paternity tests work.
DNA Profiling
Alec Jeffreys and his team also developed DNA profiling in 1985. This method focuses on specific parts of DNA. It made the system more sensitive and easier to use with computers. DNA profiling quickly became the main way to use DNA in crime cases. It is also used for paternity testing worldwide.
New technology helped make DNA testing even better. It allowed for faster and more sensitive tests. Today, scientists use special markers called short tandem repeats (STRs). Jeffreys first used these in 1990.
National DNA Databases
STR profiling was improved in the 1990s. This led to the creation of the UK National DNA Database in 1995. Modern DNA profiling can test hundreds of samples daily. The current system uses 16 STR markers. This makes it very powerful for identifying people.
In the UK, DNA profiles are taken from people who are arrested. These profiles are stored in a database. By 2020, the UK database had about 5.6 million DNA profiles. Alec Jeffreys believes an independent group should control access to this database. He thinks this would protect people's privacy.
Awards and Honours
- 1986 – Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS)
- 1991 – Appointed as a Royal Society Research Professor.
- 26 November 1992 – Honorary freeman of the City of Leicester.
- 1994 – Knighted for services to genetics and to science and technology.
- 1996 – Albert Einstein World Award of Science.
- 1998 – Australia Prize, 1998.
- 2004 – Honorary doctorate awarded by the University of Leicester.
- 2004 – Royal Medal of the Royal Society.
- 2004 – Pride of Britain Award for Lifetime Achievement.
- 2004 – Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine.
- 2005 – Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research.
- 2006 – Great Briton Award for the Greatest Briton of the year.
- 2006 – Dr A.H. Heineken Prize for Biochemistry and Biophysics.
- 2014 – Copley Medal
- 2017 – Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour
Personal Life
Alec Jeffreys met his wife, Sue Miles, at a youth club. They got married on August 28, 1971. He has one brother and one sister. Alec and Sue Jeffreys have two daughters. They were born in 1979 and 1983.
See also
In Spanish: Alec Jeffreys para niños
