Douglas Higgs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Douglas Higgs
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| Born | 13 January 1951  |
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| Occupation | Physician |
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Douglas Roland Higgs, born on January 13, 1951, is a very important scientist. He is a Professor of Molecular Haematology at the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, which is part of the University of Oxford.
Professor Higgs studies blood and how our genes control it. He is famous for his work on something called alpha-globin. This is a part of the protein in your red blood cells that carries oxygen. He also studies a genetic condition called alpha-thalassemia. This condition affects how your body makes alpha-globin.
Currently, Professor Higgs is working to understand how genes in mammals (like humans) are turned on and off. This process is very important for how our bodies develop and grow.
Early Life and Education
Douglas Higgs went to Alleyn's School when he was younger. He then studied medicine at King's College Hospital Medical School. He finished his medical training in 1974.
After that, he trained to become a haematologist. A haematologist is a doctor who specializes in blood diseases. In 1976, he became a registrar in Haematology at Kings College Hospital.
Research and Career Highlights
In 1977, Professor Higgs joined the Molecular Haematology Unit. This unit is part of the Medical Research Council in Oxford. He began doing important research there.
In 1996, he was made a Professor of Molecular Haematology. This was a special honor for his work. He became the director of the MRC Molecular Haematology Unit in 2001.
Later, in 2012, Professor Higgs became the director of the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine (WIMM). This is a big research center. He led both the MRC Molecular Haematology Unit and the WIMM until 2020.
Today, Professor Higgs is a Senior Kurti Fellow at Brasenose College, Oxford. He continues to contribute to science.
Awards and Honors
Professor Douglas Higgs has received many important awards for his scientific work. These awards show how much his research has helped us understand blood and genetics.
- 1993 Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians
- 1994 Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists
- 2001 Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences
- 2005 Fellow of the Royal Society
- 2013 Buchanan Medal of the Royal Society
- 2023 The Genetics Society Medal
The Buchanan Medal was given to him for his important work on the human alpha-globin gene. It also recognized his studies on the ATRX protein. This protein is linked to certain genetic diseases.
