Mark Walport facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Mark Walport
|
|
|---|---|
_cropped.jpg)
Mark Walport
|
|
| Born |
Mark Jeremy Walport
25 January 1953 London, England
|
| Education | St Paul's School, London |
| Alma mater | University of Cambridge (PhD) |
| Known for |
|
| Spouse(s) |
Julia Elizabeth Neild
(m. 1986) |
| Children | 4 |
| Awards |
|
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Immunology Rheumatology |
| Institutions |
|
| Thesis | The biology of complement receptors (1986) |
| Doctoral advisor | Peter Lachmann |
Sir Mark Jeremy Walport is a very important English medical scientist. He was born on January 25, 1953, in London. Sir Mark has held several big jobs in science and government. He was the main science advisor for the UK government from 2013 to 2017. After that, he led a group called UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) from 2017 to 2020. In 2023, he became the Foreign Secretary of The Royal Society, sharing the role with Alison Noble.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Mark Walport grew up in London. His father was a general practitioner, which is a family doctor. Mark went to St Paul's School, London. He then studied medicine at Clare College, Cambridge. He finished his medical training at hospitals in London, including Hammersmith Hospital, Guy's Hospital, and Brompton Hospital.
In 1986, he earned his PhD from the University of Cambridge. His research was about something called complement receptors. These are important parts of our body's immune system. His supervisor for this research was Peter Lachmann.
Sir Mark's Important Work
Before working for the government, Sir Mark Walport was the Director of the Wellcome Trust. This is a very large charity that supports health research. He held this role from 2003 to 2013.
Before joining the Wellcome Trust, he was a Professor of Medicine at Imperial College London. He became a professor in 1991 and later led the Division of Medicine starting in 1997. There, he led a team that studied the immune system and genes related to rheumatic diseases. These are conditions that affect joints, muscles, and bones.
Advising the Government
From 2013 to 2017, Sir Mark Walport was the eleventh Government Chief Scientific Adviser. This means he was the top science advisor to the UK government. He gave advice on many important scientific issues. He took over this role from Sir John Beddington.
In February 2017, it was announced that Sir Mark Walport would become the Chief Executive of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). UKRI is a big organization that funds research and innovation across the UK. He led UKRI until 2020.
Awards and Recognition
Sir Mark Walport has received many awards for his contributions to science.
- In 2009, he was made a Knight Bachelor. This means he can use "Sir" before his name. This honor was for his great work in medical research.
- In 2011, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK.
- In 2017, he was also elected an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE).
His nomination for the Royal Society praised his early scientific work on diseases like systemic LE. It also recognized his leadership at Imperial College and as Director of the Wellcome Trust. He is known as a world leader in promoting science.
Personal Life
Sir Mark Walport is married to Dr. Julia Walport MBE. She is the master of the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries. Lady Walport is also involved in charity work. She is a trustee for the Amber Trust and the Ealing Youth Orchestra. She received an MBE honor in 2024.
