Robert Russell Race facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Russell Race
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| Born | 28 November 1907 |
| Died | 15 April 1984 |
| Occupation | Scientist |
| Spouse(s) | Margaret Monica Rotton (1938–1956) Ruth Sanger (1956–1984) |
Robert Russell Race (born November 28, 1907 – died April 15, 1984) was a British doctor and a scientist who studied human genetics. He was a leader at the Medical Research Council Blood Group Unit. This unit focused on understanding different blood types. His second wife, Ruth Sanger, was also a scientist and worked with him. She took over his role after he retired.
Contents
Discovering Blood Types
Early Work
Robert Race trained to be a doctor at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London. In 1937, he started working in a special department. This department studied blood types. It was set up by another scientist named Ronald Fisher. Race's job was to study blood serum, which is a part of blood.
World War II and Rh Blood
When World War II started, Race's team moved to Cambridge. In 1941, Race and a colleague, Arthur Mourant, began to study Rh blood types. This work built on discoveries made by scientists Karl Landsteiner and Alexander S. Wiener in the USA. Understanding Rh blood types is very important for safe blood transfusions and for pregnant women.
Leading the Blood Group Unit
In 1946, Robert Race became the head of the Medical Research Council Blood Group Research Unit. This was a big step in his career. That same year, Ruth Sanger joined his team. She was also a brilliant scientist. Race and Sanger worked very closely together. They got married in 1956 after Race's first wife passed away.
Important Discoveries
Blood Groups in Man
Together, Race and Sanger wrote a very important book called Blood Groups in Man. It was first published in 1950. This book became a key guide for scientists studying blood types. It was updated and printed six times, showing how important their work was.
Xg Blood System
In the 1960s, Race and Sanger made another big discovery. They found a new blood type system called Xg. This was special because it was linked to the X chromosome. The X chromosome is one of the chromosomes that determines if someone is male or female. Their work helped scientists understand more about how genes are passed down.
Retirement and Awards
Robert Race retired in 1973. Ruth Sanger then became the new director of the MRC Blood Group Unit. Race and Sanger received many awards together for their amazing work. These included the Karl Landsteiner Memorial Award and the Gairdner Award. These awards recognized their huge contributions to understanding human blood and genetics.
