Edward C. Holmes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Edward C. Holmes
FRS FAA
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Holmes in 2017
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| Born | 26 February 1965 |
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| Known for | Molecular Evolution: A Phylogenetic Approach |
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| Thesis | Pattern and Process in the Molecular Evolution of the Order Primates (1990) |
| Academic advisors | Adrian Friday |
Edward Charles Holmes (born February 26, 1965) is a British scientist. He studies how living things change over time (this is called evolutionary biology). He also studies viruses (this is called virology).
Since 2012, Professor Holmes has worked in Australia. He is a professor at the University of Sydney. He was also a visiting professor in China from 2019 to 2021.
Contents
Education
Edward Holmes went to University College London. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Anthropology in 1986. Anthropology is the study of human societies and cultures.
Then, he went to the University of Cambridge. In 1990, he earned his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree. His research was about how genes change in primates (like monkeys and apes) over time.
Research and Career
Professor Holmes uses special methods to study viruses. He looks at their genetic information (their genomes). He also studies their "family trees" (this is called phylogenetics). This helps him understand how viruses change and spread.
His work shows how viruses jump from animals to humans. It also explains how they spread in new hosts. He has studied important human diseases. These include Hepatitis C, influenza (the flu), HIV, and dengue fever.
His research helps us understand which viruses might spread to humans. It also helps predict if they will spread from person to person. His recent work has shown how many different kinds of viruses exist in the world.
Professor Holmes wrote a book called The Evolution and Emergence of RNA Viruses. He also helped write a textbook called Molecular Evolution: A Phylogenetic Approach. He has guided many students who are studying for their advanced degrees.
SARS-CoV-2 Research
Professor Holmes was very important in studying SARS-CoV-2. This is the virus that causes COVID-19. He worked with another scientist, Zhang Yongzhen. They were among the first to share the virus's genetic code. This helped scientists around the world understand the virus quickly.
Professor Holmes has also talked a lot about where the virus came from. In March 2020, he wrote an important letter. It was published in a science magazine called Nature Medicine. The letter looked at the virus's genetic changes. It concluded that the virus did not seem to be made in a lab.
The University of Sydney shared a statement from Professor Holmes. He said that there was no proof the virus came from a lab in Wuhan, China. He stated that all the evidence pointed to the virus coming from an animal.
Where He Has Worked
Before moving to Sydney in 2012, Professor Holmes worked at several universities. These were in the UK and the USA.
- From 1990 to 1991, he was a researcher at the University of California, Davis.
- From 1991 to 1993, he was a researcher at the University of Edinburgh.
- From 1993 to 2004, he worked at the University of Oxford.
- From 2005 to 2012, he was a full professor at Pennsylvania State University.
His research has received funding from many important groups. These include the Royal Society and the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Awards and Honours
Professor Holmes has received many awards for his work.
- In 2015, he became a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (FAA). This is a big honour for scientists in Australia.
- In 2017, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very old and respected science academy in the UK.
- Also in 2017, he received an Australian Laureate Fellowship.
- In 2003, he won the Scientific Medal, Zoological Society of London.
- In October 2020, he was named NSW Scientist of the Year in Australia.
- In January 2021, he won the General Symbiont prize. He shared this award with Zhang Yongzhen. They won for sharing the first SARS-CoV-2 genome data.
- In November 2021, he received the Prime Minister's Prize for Science. This is one of Australia's top science awards.
- In 2024, he was awarded the Croonian Medal and Lecture by the Royal Society.
Personal Life
Edward Holmes enjoys going to Whale Beach, New South Wales. He also likes electric guitars and supports the Aston Villa Football Club.
See also
- Kristian G. Andersen
- Proximal Origin, a scientific discussion about the origins of SARS-CoV-2
- Zhang Yongzhen
