Michael Abercrombie facts for kids

Michael Abercrombie FRS (born August 14, 1912 – died May 28, 1979) was a British scientist. He studied cells and how living things develop. He was one of four children of the famous poet, Lascelles Abercrombie.

Early Life and Education

Michael Abercrombie was born in a place called Ryton, near Dymock in Gloucestershire, UK. This was on August 14, 1912. His father, Lascelles Abercrombie, was a well-known poet and critic. Michael's uncle, Patrick Abercrombie, was also famous for planning towns.

Michael went to school at Liverpool College and then Leeds Grammar School. In 1931, he started studying Zoology at Queen's College, University of Oxford. He earned a top degree in 1934.

Career and Discoveries

After Oxford, Michael moved to the Strangeways Research Laboratory in Cambridge to do more research. In 1938, he became a lecturer at the University of Birmingham. There, he met Minnie Johnson, who was also a lecturer. They got married in 1939.

During World War II, Michael worked at the University of Oxford. He studied how wounds heal and how nerves grow back. Later, in 1947, he and his wife moved to University College London.

In 1958, he was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very important honor for scientists. From 1970 until he passed away, he led the Strangeways Research Laboratory in Cambridge.

Understanding Cell Behavior

Michael Abercrombie made a very important discovery about animal cells. He found that when normal animal cells move in a dish, they stop moving when they touch another cell of the same kind. It's like they know when to stop crowding each other.

However, he noticed something different about cancer cells. Cancer cells do not stop when they touch other cells. They keep moving and growing, which helps them spread. This discovery was a big step forward in understanding how cancer cells behave. It led to a lot of new research into cancer.

Sharing Science with Everyone

Michael Abercrombie also loved to make science easy for everyone to understand. He helped write the Penguin Dictionary of Biology in 1951. This book was very popular and was updated many times.

He also helped start and edit the Penguin New Biology series of books. He worked on this with his wife, Minnie Johnson. These books helped many people learn about new discoveries in biology.

Michael Abercrombie passed away at his home in Cambridge on May 28, 1979.

Family Life

Michael Abercrombie married Minnie Louie ("Jane") Johnson in 1939. They had one son together, Nicholas Abercrombie. Nicholas grew up to become a well-known sociologist, who studies how societies work.

Key Works

• Abercrombie, M. (1950) Dictionary of Biology
• Abercrombie is also known for editing and co-founding the Penguin New Biology textbook series.