Audrey Smith facts for kids

Audrey Ursula Smith (May 21, 1915 – June 3, 1981) was a British scientist who studied how to freeze living things. She is famous for finding a way to protect human red blood cells during freezing. She used a substance called glycerol to do this.

Early Life and Education

Audrey Smith was born in India on May 21, 1915. Her father, Alan Kenyon Smith, worked for the Indian Civil Service.

Audrey was a very bright student. In 1935, she earned a top degree in science from King's College, London. The next year, she received another top degree in physiology (the study of how living things work) from Bedford College for Women.

A Career in Science

Audrey Smith worked in several important medical roles early in her career. In 1942, she was a doctor at King's College Hospital. From 1943 to 1944, she worked as a clinical pathologist, studying diseases. She also worked in public health clinics in Epsom and Nottingham.

Discovering Cryoprotection

From 1946 to 1970, Audrey was a researcher at the National Institute for Medical Research. She worked with other scientists, Sir Alan Sterling Parkes and Christopher Polge. Their main goal was to find a way to freeze animal cells without damaging them. This process is called cryopreservation.

At first, their attempts were not successful. But then, a surprising accident happened! Audrey accidentally dropped a bottle that broke and splashed onto a hot plate. The smell made her realize the bottle was mislabeled. This led her to experiment with glycerol. She discovered that glycerol could protect cells during freezing. This was the first time a practical "cryoprotectant" (a substance that protects cells during freezing) was found.

Awards and Recognition

Audrey Smith's work was very important. In 1969, she, Christopher Polge, and Alan Parkes won the John Scott Award. This award was given for their method of preserving living cells and tissues at very low temperatures.

In 1973, Audrey Smith was also given the Kamerlingh Onnes Award. This award recognized her significant contributions to the field of cryobiology.

After her work at the National Institute, she joined the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore. She worked there from 1970 until 1981. She also studied how to bring mammals back to normal after being very cold (a state called hypothermia).

Legacy

Audrey Smith passed away in London on June 3, 1981.

Her discoveries had a huge impact. Her work on freezing and protecting cells from bulls helped greatly improve cattle breeding and animal farming.

To honor her, one of the giant machines used to dig the Thames Tideway Scheme tunnel in London was named 'Ursula'. This is Audrey Smith's middle name. This machine is digging a 5-kilometer section of the tunnel.