June Almeida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
June Dalziel Almeida
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| Born |
June Dalziel Hart
5 October 1930 Glasgow, Scotland
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| Died | 1 December 2007 (aged 77) Bexhill, England
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| Known for | Pioneer of immuno-electron microscopy, identification of coronavirus, hepatitis B, HIV, rubella |
| Spouse(s) |
Enriques Rosalio (Henry) Almeida
(m. 1954, divorced)Phillip Samuel Gardner
(m. 1982; died 1994) |
| Children | 1 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Virology, histopathology |
| Institutions | Glasgow Royal Infirmary, St Bartholomew's Hospital, Ontario Cancer Institute, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Wellcome Research Laboratories |
| Influenced | Albert Kapikian and Thomas Henry Flewett and Hugh Pennington |
June Dalziel Almeida (born October 5, 1930 – died December 1, 2007) was a brilliant Scottish scientist. She was a pioneer in studying viruses using special microscopes. Her amazing skills in electron microscopy helped scientists around the world.
June Almeida was one of the first to see and identify many viruses. In 1966, she helped discover a group of viruses now called coronavirus. These viruses look like they have a crown, which is what "corona" means. Her new ways of using electron microscopes also helped with research on hepatitis B, HIV, and rubella. Even today, her detailed pictures of viruses are used in science textbooks.
Contents
Early Life and Education
June Almeida was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on October 5, 1930. Her father, Harry Leonard Hart, was a bus driver. When June was 9, her younger brother died from diphtheria. This sad event might have made her interested in diseases.
June went to Whitehill Secondary School and was very good at science. She finished school at 16 in 1947. She wanted to go to university but couldn't afford it. Instead, she started working as a histopathology technician. This job involved studying diseased tissues under a microscope. She first worked at Glasgow Royal Infirmary. Later, she moved to St Bartholomew's Hospital in London.
In 1954, June married Enriques Rosalio (Henry) Almeida.
A Career in Science
June Almeida's career was full of important discoveries. She used electron microscopes to see tiny viruses.
Working in Canada
In 1954, June moved to Canada and started working at the Ontario Cancer Institute. She was an electron microscopy technician. For ten years, she used her skills to study tiny particles. She helped create new ways to prepare samples so viruses could be seen more clearly.
In 1963, June and her team published an article in the journal Science. They described virus-like particles found in the blood of cancer patients. This was an important step in understanding how viruses affect the body.
In 1964, June moved back to London. She joined a research team at St Thomas's Hospital Medical School. Here, she worked on viruses that cause the common cold and hepatitis B virus.
In 1966, June worked with Dr. David Tyrrell, a scientist studying the common cold. Dr. Tyrrell's team had a mystery virus called B814. They couldn't see it using their usual methods. June used her advanced electron microscope techniques to examine samples. She saw tiny particles in the B814 samples. These particles looked like viruses she had seen before in chickens and mice.
June realized these were a completely new type of virus. She noticed they had a unique "halo" or "crown" around them. This led to the name "coronavirus," from the Latin word "corona" meaning crown. This discovery was a huge step in understanding respiratory illnesses.
By 1967, June earned her Doctor of Science degree. This was based on her amazing research and publications using electron microscopy.
Later Research
After St Thomas's, June moved to the Royal Postgraduate Medical School (RPGMS). In 1971, she made another big discovery. Using her special immune electron microscopy, she found that the hepatitis B virus had two distinct parts. This helped scientists understand how the virus works.
June spent her final working years at the Wellcome Institute. She helped develop new ways to image viruses. Her work led to several patents.
Major Contributions to Science
June Almeida was a true pioneer. She found ways to use the electron microscope to help diagnose viral diseases. Before her work, it was hard to see viruses clearly. She developed a technique called immune electron microscopy (IEM). This method used antibodies to clump viruses together, making them easier to see.
Her techniques were fast and simple. They changed how scientists studied viruses overnight. Her discovery of coronaviruses in 1966 was groundbreaking. This family of viruses now includes the SARS virus and the SARS-CoV2 virus, which causes Coronavirus disease 2019.
In 1967, June also created the first clear pictures of the rubella virus.
Life After Retirement
After retiring from the Wellcome Institute, June continued to help scientists. She returned to St Thomas's as an advisor. In the late 1980s, she helped create images of the HIV virus.
June also wrote a book for the World Health Organization in 1979. It was called Manual for rapid laboratory viral diagnosis.
Outside of science, June became a yoga teacher. She also helped her second husband, Philip Gardner, with his antique business.
Lasting Impact
June Almeida's work continues to be important. In 1970, she taught her immune electron microscopy technique to Albert Kapikian. He used her methods to identify the Norwalk virus, which causes stomach flu.
June's story gained new attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her early work on coronaviruses helped scientists quickly identify the new virus. Many scientists, including those in China, have praised her contributions.
Personal Life
June Almeida had a daughter named Joyce with her first husband, Henry Almeida. Their marriage later ended.
In 1979, she married Phillip Samuel Gardner, who was also a virologist. They retired to Bexhill-on-Sea in 1985. Phillip passed away in 1994.
June Almeida died in Bexhill in 2007 from a heart attack.
Remembering June Almeida
In September 2020, a new COVID-19 testing laboratory at Guy's Hospital in London was named after June Almeida. This honors her important work in understanding viruses.
See also
In Spanish: June Almeida para niños
- Timeline of women in science
- COVID-19 coronavirus disease
Selected publications
