Angela Vincent facts for kids

Angela Vincent is a British scientist who studies the brain and nerves. She was born in 1942. She is a very respected professor at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Somerville College, Oxford. This means she is a senior member of the college.

Angela Vincent's Journey in Science

Angela Vincent was born in 1942. She was the third child of Carmen and Joseph Molony. She went to school at St Mary's Convent, Ascot. Later, she studied medicine at King's College London. She also studied at Westminster Hospital School of Medicine. These schools are now part of Imperial College School of Medicine.

After finishing her medical studies, she worked as a junior doctor for a year. This was in London from 1966 to 1967. Then, she earned a master's degree in biochemistry. This degree focused on the chemistry of living things. She got it from University College London. In 1967, she married Philip Morse Vincent. They have four children together.

Early Research and Discoveries

After her master's degree, Angela Vincent worked with Ricardo Miledi. He was a very important scientist. She joined his team to study something called acetylcholine receptors. These are like tiny receivers in our bodies. They help our nerves talk to our muscles.

While working with Miledi, her medical knowledge was very helpful. She started working with John Newsom-Davis. Together, they studied a disease called myasthenia gravis. This disease makes muscles weak. They created a special group to study nerve and immune system problems. This group later moved to Oxford.

Leading Research in Oxford

After John Newsom-Davis retired in 1998, Angela Vincent led the research group. She continued to lead it until 2016. During this time, she held many important positions. She was the head of the clinical neurology department at Oxford University. She also led the International Society of Neuroimmunology. This is a group for scientists who study nerve and immune system diseases. She was also an editor for a science journal called Brain.

Her research group studied many different areas of biology. They looked at how our bodies work at a tiny level. This included molecular biology and biochemistry. They also studied how our immune system works. Their main focus was on diseases that affect nerves and muscles. These diseases can be caused by our own immune system. They also studied diseases that are passed down through families.

Understanding Autoimmune Diseases

Angela Vincent's group studied several important diseases. These included myasthenia gravis and the Lambert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome. They also studied types of autoimmune encephalitis. This is when the immune system attacks the brain. Another condition they studied was acquired neuromyotonia. This causes muscles to twitch and cramp.

Her work helped us understand how certain antibodies cause these diseases. Antibodies are like soldiers in our immune system. Sometimes, they mistakenly attack our own body. She found specific antibodies that attack parts of our muscles and nerves. These include acetylcholine receptors and muscle specific kinase (MuSK). She also found antibodies that attack parts of the brain. These attack glycine receptors or proteins like LGI1, CASPR2, and Contactin-2.

Impact on Babies' Health

Angela Vincent also showed something very important about pregnant women. She found that antibodies can pass from a pregnant woman to her fetus. This happens inside the womb. These antibodies can cause problems for the baby. They can affect how the baby's muscles and nerves develop. This can lead to issues right after birth or later on.

Current Work and Support

Since 2016, Angela Vincent has been an emeritus Professor at Oxford University. This means she is retired but still connected to the university. She also has an honorary position at UCL. She continues to work on nerve and muscle disorders. She also helps and advises young scientists. Her work on brain disorders at Oxford is now continued by other scientists.

Angela Vincent also supports important causes. She is a strong supporter of Freedom from Torture. This group helps people who have been tortured. She is also a patron of British Pugwash. This group brings scientists together. They talk about international issues and how to reduce weapons.

Awards and Recognition

Angela Vincent has received many awards for her amazing work.

• In 2009, she gave the Leslie Oliver Oration speech.
• She received a medal from the Association of British Neurologists in 2009.
• In 2017, she got an award from the World Federation of Neurology. This was for her scientific contributions to neurology.
• The British Neuroscience Association gave her an award in 2015. It was for her outstanding contribution to neuroscience.
• In 2018, she received a big international prize in Cologne. This was for her work in translational neuroscience. She shared it with J Posner and J Dalmau.
• In 2019, she received an award in Washington. This was the America Epilepsy Society Clinical Science Research Award. She shared it with J Dalmau.
• Imperial College, London, gave her their first Distinguished Alumni Award in 2020.
• In 2021, she received a lifetime award from the German Neurological Society.

She was also elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2002. In 2011, she became a Fellow of the Royal Society. These are very high honors for scientists in the UK.