Barbara Pearse facts for kids

Barbara Pearse is a brilliant British scientist born on March 24, 1948, in Wraysbury, England. She is known for her important discoveries in how our bodies work at a tiny, tiny level. She works at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, UK.

Becoming a Scientist

Barbara Pearse went to the Lady Eleanor Holles School in Hampton, London. She then studied at University College London, finishing her degree in 1969.

Her Career Path

In 1982, Barbara Pearse joined the scientific team at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology. This is a very famous place for scientific research.

Amazing Discoveries

Barbara Pearse's most important work is about tiny sacs inside our cells called coated vesicles. Think of these vesicles as tiny delivery trucks that move important things around inside a cell.

Finding the "Coat"

In 1975, Barbara Pearse was the first to find and clean these coated vesicles. She also discovered a special molecule that forms their "coat." This molecule is called clathrin.

Why Coated Vesicles are Important

Scientists first saw these tiny coated sacs in 1964 using powerful microscopes. Later, in 1976, other scientists found out how important they are. They learned that these vesicles help remove something called LDL from our blood. LDL is sometimes called "bad cholesterol." So, these tiny vesicles help keep our bodies healthy!

Awards and Recognition

Barbara Pearse has received many important awards for her scientific work.

Prestigious Honours

• From 1984 to 1985, she was a visiting professor at Stanford University in the USA.
• In 1982, she became a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO).
• She won the EMBO Gold Medal in 1987, which is a big award for young scientists in Europe.
• In 1988, she was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honour for scientists in the UK.

Her Family Life

Barbara Pearse is married to another scientist named Mark Bretscher.