Douglas Scott Falconer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Douglas Scott Falconer
|
|
|---|---|
| Born | 10 March 1913 Old Meldrum, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
|
| Died | 23 February 2004 (aged 90) Edinburgh, Scotland
|
| Alma mater | University of St Andrews King's College, Cambridge |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Quantitative genetics Genetic epidemiology |
| Institutions | University of Edinburgh |
| Doctoral advisor | James Gray |
Douglas Scott Falconer FRS FRSE (1913–2004) was an important Scottish scientist. He was known for his work in quantitative genetics. This is a field of study that looks at how traits that can be measured, like height or weight, are passed down through families.
Contents
About Douglas Falconer
Douglas Scott Falconer was born on March 10, 1913, in Oldmeldrum, Scotland. He passed away on February 23, 2004, in Edinburgh. He spent his life studying genetics and how living things inherit traits.
His Education and Career
Douglas Falconer studied animals, which is called zoology, at the University of St Andrews. He graduated with top honors in 1940. Later, he earned his PhD from the University of Cambridge in 1943. He also received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Cambridge in 1969.
He worked at the University of Edinburgh. His research helped many other scientists understand how genes work.
His Famous Book
In 1960, Falconer wrote a very important book. It was called Introduction to Quantitative Genetics. This book became a key guide for many generations of scientists. It helped them learn about how traits like size or weight are inherited. The book was updated several times, with the last edition in 1996.
Discovering the Reeler Mouse
In 1951, Douglas Falconer found a new type of mouse. He called it a "reeler" mouse because it walked in a wobbly way. Scientists later studied these mice. Their research led to the discovery of a special protein called reelin. This protein is very important for how the brain develops and how brain cells move and connect.
Understanding Human Traits
In 1964, Falconer introduced a new way to study human traits and diseases. He used something called "liability threshold models." This helped scientists understand how likely someone is to develop a certain trait or condition based on their genes and other factors.
A Recognized Scientist
Because of his important contributions to science, Douglas Falconer was made a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1973. This is a very high honor for scientists in the United Kingdom.
See also
- Falconer's formula
