Mariann Bienz facts for kids

Mariann Bienz, also known as Lady Pelham, is a famous scientist from Switzerland and Britain. She was born on December 21, 1953, in Winterthur, Switzerland. Mariann Bienz is a molecular biologist. This means she studies the tiny parts inside living things, like DNA and proteins, to understand how life works. She works at the UK Medical Research Council's Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) in the United Kingdom.

Since 1991, she has been a Senior Scientific Staff member there. From 2007 to 2008, she was a Joint-head of Cell Biology. Since 2008, she has been a Group Leader in the Protein and Nucleic Acid Chemistry Division.

Early Life and Learning

Mariann Bienz went to Gymnasium Winterthur for her schooling. This is a type of high school in Switzerland. After that, she studied at the University of Zürich. There, she focused on Zoology, which is the study of animals, and Molecular Biology. She earned her PhD degree in 1981. A PhD is a very high university degree that shows someone is an expert in their field.

Her Scientific Journey

After finishing her PhD, Mariann Bienz continued her research at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB). This type of advanced study after a PhD is called postdoctoral research. It helps scientists gain more experience and work on new discoveries.

In 1986, she went back to Zürich and became an assistant professor. Later, in 1990, she became an associate professor. She also became a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) in 1989. EMBO is a group of top scientists who help promote excellent research in life sciences.

Personal Life

Mariann Bienz is married to another biologist, Sir Hugh Pelham. They got married in 1996.

Awards and Special Recognitions

Mariann Bienz has received several important awards and honors for her scientific work:

• She became a member of the EMBO in 1989.
• In 1990, she won the Friedrich Miescher Prize from the Swiss Biochemical Society. This prize is given to young scientists for outstanding achievements in biochemistry.
• She was made a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 2003. The Royal Society is one of the oldest and most respected scientific organizations in the world. Being a Fellow means you are recognized as a leading scientist.
• In 2006, she became a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci). This honor recognizes her important contributions to medical science.