Daniela Rhodes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Daniela Rhodes
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Daniela Rhodes at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology
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| Alma mater | University of Cambridge |
| Awards | FRS (2007); The WLA Prize in Life Science or Medicine (2023) |
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| Thesis | The helical periodicity of DNA in solution and in chromatin (1982) |
| Doctoral advisor | Aaron Klug |
Daniela Bargellini Rhodes, born in 1946, is a famous Italian scientist. She studies the tiny building blocks of life, like DNA and proteins. She was a top scientist at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, England. There, she worked and earned her PhD with Aaron Klug, a scientist who won a Nobel Prize. Daniela Rhodes became a group leader in 1983 and a senior scientist in 1994. This is like being a full professor. She also taught as a visiting professor in Rome, Italy, and New York, USA.
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Discovering Life's Structures
Daniela Rhodes has helped us understand how DNA and proteins work together. Her research looks at the shapes of these tiny parts. She figured out the structures of important protein-DNA groups. These groups are involved in how our bodies use genetic information.
Understanding DNA and Proteins
She studied special proteins called zinc-fingers. She also looked at nuclear hormone receptors. These proteins help control how our bodies grow and develop. Her work showed how these proteins connect with DNA.
Telomeres and Chromosomes
Daniela Rhodes also studied telomeres. These are like caps at the ends of our chromosomes. Chromosomes hold our DNA. Telomeres protect our DNA from damage. She found out how telomere proteins, like yeast Rap1p and human TRF1 and TRF2, connect with DNA. This helps keep our chromosomes healthy.
Chromatin Structure
A big part of her work is on chromatin. Chromatin is how DNA is packed inside our cells. She helped discover the structure of the nucleosome core particle. This is a basic unit of chromatin. She also studied how chromatin changes when genes are active. More recently, she looked at the higher-level 30nm structure of chromatin. Her research still focuses on how chromatin's shape affects how genes are turned on or off. She also studies how telomeres keep chromosomes safe.
Teaching and Leadership
In 2011, Daniela joined Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore as a professor. She also became a professor at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine in 2012. In 2014, she became the Director of the new Nanyang Institute of Structural Biology. She left NTU in 2020. Today, she is an Emeritus Scientist at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology. This means she is a respected scientist who has retired but still contributes to science.
Awards and Recognitions
Daniela Rhodes has received many important awards for her scientific work.
- In 2023, she won the World Laureates Association Prize in Life Science or Medicine. She shared this award with Timothy J. Richmond and Karolin Luger.
- She was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 2007. This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK.
- She became a member of the EMBO in 1996.
- She was elected to the Academia Europaea in 2011.
- She is also a Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge.
Asteroid Named After Her
A cool fact is that an asteroid was named after her! Asteroid 80008 Danielarhodes was found by Italian astronomers in 1999. It was named in her honor in 2011. This shows how important her contributions to science are.
