Gideon Davies facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gideon Davies
FRS FRSC FMedSci
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Gideon Davies in 2010
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Gideon John Davies
6 July 1964 Great Sutton, Cheshire
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| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | University of Bristol (BSc, PhD, DSc) |
| Children | Two daughters |
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| Thesis | Phosphoglycerate kinase from Bacillus stearothermophilus (1990) |
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| Doctoral students | Tracey Gloster |
Gideon John Davies, born on July 6, 1964, is a chemistry professor at the University of York in the UK. He works in the Structural Biology Laboratory (YSBL). Professor Davies is famous for his important studies on enzymes that work with carbohydrates. He figures out how these enzymes work and how they can be used to help society. In 2016, he became the Royal Society Ken Murray Research Professor at the University of York. He was also recently chosen to be part of the Council of the Royal Society.
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Education and Early Career
Professor Davies studied at the University of Bristol. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry. In 1990, he completed his PhD, focusing on an enzyme called phosphoglycerate kinase. This enzyme was found in a type of bacteria called Bacillus stearothermophilus. His supervisors were Herman Watson and Len Hall. Later, in 2007, he received a higher degree, a Doctor of Science (DSc), also from the University of Bristol.
After his PhD, Professor Davies did more research. He worked at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Hamburg. There, he used special X-rays, called synchrotron radiation, to study proteins. He also worked at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) in Grenoble, France.
Career at York
In 1990, Professor Davies moved to the University of York. He joined Dale Wigley and Guy Dodson to study DNA gyrase, an important enzyme. In 1996, he started his own research group within the Structural Biology Laboratory (YSBL). This was possible because he received a special research grant from the Royal Society.
He became a full Professor at the University of York in 2001. In 2016, he was given the prestigious Royal Society Ken Murray Research Professorship. Professor Davies has worked with many other scientists, including Alywn Jones, Bernard Henrissat, Steve Withers, and David Vocadlo. One of his former students, Tracey Gloster, also became a successful researcher.
What Professor Davies Researches
Professor Davies's research focuses on the biological chemistry of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are like sugars and starches. He studies their structure and how they work in different areas. These areas include enzymology (the study of enzymes), glycobiology (the study of sugars in living things), and their use in biofuels. He also looks at how carbohydrates affect the gut microbiota, which are the tiny living things in our digestive system.
His research has received funding from important organizations. These include the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the European Research Council (ERC), and Alzheimer's Research UK. Professor Davies has published over 400 scientific papers in journals.
Awards and Honours
Professor Davies has received many awards for his important scientific work. Some of his major awards include:
- The Davy Medal from the Royal Society.
- The Gabor Medal from the Royal Society.
- The John and Rita Cornforth Award (with Paul Walton).
- The Haworth Memorial, Khorana, Peptide and Protein, Corday-Morgan, and Carbohydrate Chemistry medals from the Royal Society of Chemistry.
- The iChemE Global Energy Award (with Paul Walton and Bernard Henrissat).
- The Whistler Prize from the International Carbohydrate Organization.
- The GlaxoSmithKline Award from the Biochemical Society.
In 2019, the York Structural Biology Laboratory at the University of York, where he works, received the Queen's Anniversary Prize. This is a very high honor for universities in the UK.
In 2010, Professor Davies was chosen as a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO). He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC).
In 2010, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS)]. This is one of the highest honors a scientist in the UK can receive. He was recognized for his work on "structural enzymology." This means he studies the structure of enzymes that make, change, or break down carbohydrates. His research helps us understand how enzymes work at a very detailed level. This has a big impact on how we understand carbohydrate chemistry and biology.
In 2014, Professor Davies was also elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci). He was recognized for his major contributions to biochemistry. His work has helped us understand how enzymes work and how carbohydrates are processed in the body. For example, his research led to the design of special compounds. These compounds could potentially help treat diseases like Alzheimer's disease. More recently, he has been studying the human microbiota. These tiny organisms in our gut are very important for our health.
He received the John and Rita Cornforth Award from the Royal Society of Chemistry in 2020. The Queen's Anniversary Prize was awarded to YSBL in 2019. He also received the Haworth Memorial Lectureship in 2018 and the Global Energy Award in 2016.
Personal Life
Gideon Davies married Valérie Marie-Andrée Ducros in 1999. They have two daughters.
