Margaret Robinson facts for kids

Margaret Scott Robinson (born 1951) is a British scientist who studies cells. She is a professor and researcher at the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research. This institute is part of the famous University of Cambridge in the UK.

Learning About Cells

Margaret Robinson earned her first degree in biology from Smith College in Massachusetts, USA. She then went on to get her PhD, which is a very high university degree. She studied at Harvard University and had two supervisors, David Albertini and Barbara Pearse.

In 2003, she became a Professor of Molecular Cell Biology. This means she teaches and does research on the tiny parts inside cells. She specifically looks at proteins that help form "coated vesicles."

Margaret first became interested in science by reading about Marie Curie. When she started college, she thought she would study English or theater. But she had to take an introductory biology class. In that class, a teacher named Jeanne Powell showed amazing pictures of cells. These pictures, called electron micrographs, made Margaret fascinated by how complex cells are.

After her first degree, Margaret took a year off. She then ended up at Harvard Medical School.

Later, she joined a new lab where she could research anything she wanted. Because she was new to research, things didn't go as planned. She almost had to leave graduate school! She had to stop working on her favorite topic, "coated vesicles," for a while. Instead, she worked on something closer to what the lab was already doing.

Margaret eventually started working with Barbara Pearse as a postdoc. A postdoc is a researcher who has finished their PhD but is still learning. They joined the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in 1982. Margaret was very interested in "clathrin-coated vesicles." These are tiny sacs inside cells that carry things around.

She found that these vesicles have special proteins called "adaptor proteins." These proteins act like a bridge. They connect the outer shell of the vesicle (made of a protein called clathrin) to the vesicle's inner membrane. Margaret also discovered there are two main types of clathrin-coated vesicles. One type uses a protein called AP-2 and works at the cell's outer edge. The other type uses AP-1 and works inside the cell.

Discoveries and Research

Margaret Robinson has made many important discoveries. She found proteins called adaptins. These proteins help cells move things around, making sure everything goes to the right place. She also found that different combinations of adaptins and clathrin form a special "coat" around vesicles. This coat helps these tiny sacs carry protein packages to different parts of the cell.

She also created a clever technique called "knock sideways." This method allows scientists to quickly turn off proteins in cells. This helps them understand what those proteins do.

After her postdoc, Margaret started her own lab. Her main goal was to learn more about the AP protein family. She also worked with DNA to understand these proteins better. Her lab found another AP complex, called AP-3. This complex helps move proteins to lysosomes, which are like the cell's recycling centers. AP-3 is also important for moving a protein called tyrosinase, which helps make melanin (the pigment that gives skin, hair, and eyes their color).

As of 2016, Professor Robinson still runs a lab at the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research. She focuses on "coated vesicles," especially "clathrin-coated vesicles (CCVs)." These vesicles have coats made of clathrin and different types of adaptor proteins.

Her main idea is that for each path a cell uses to move things, there are different adaptors. These adaptors work together to put different "cargo" (like proteins) into new vesicles. Margaret and her team use many advanced methods to find new adaptors. They also study how clathrin and adaptors are used by the HIV virus. They look into why problems with adaptors like AP-4 and AP-5 can cause a condition called hereditary spastic paraplegia. They also explore how adaptors have changed over time through evolution.

Her lab uses many techniques to study cells. These include looking at cells with powerful microscopes, separating cell parts, cleaning proteins, and studying proteins in detail. They also use methods to look at living cells and understand their structures.

Why Her Research Matters

Every living thing with complex cells, from tiny organisms to humans, has coated vesicles and adaptors. Margaret Robinson's work helps us understand how these tiny parts work. Some scientists even think her work might explain how complex cells first evolved billions of years ago.

Her discoveries also have important medical uses. Sometimes, adaptors have mutations, which are like errors in their code. These errors can lead to certain genetic disorders. Also, some pathogens, like germs that cause diseases, use adaptors to their advantage. For example, the HIV virus has a protein called Nef. This protein needs adaptors to help the virus cause AIDS. It does this by changing the surface of the infected cell.

Professor Robinson's work helps us understand how coated vesicles sort their cargo. She also creates new tools that other scientists can use. For example, her "knocksideways" method helps scientists quickly turn off proteins. This technique is now used in many other labs. It helps them study how specific proteins help cells divide and grow.

Awards and Honours

Margaret Robinson has received many awards for her work. In 1999, she was given a special research fellowship from the Wellcome Trust. In 2003, she became a Professor of Molecular Cell Biology.

She was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization. In 2012, she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK. The Wellcome Trust has also supported her research for over 25 years.