Robin Franklin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robin Franklin
FRS
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
Robin J. M. Franklin
|
| Alma mater | Royal Veterinary College University of Cambridge |
| Awards | Barancik Prize (2017), King Faisal Prize (2021) |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | University of Cambridge, Altos Labs - Cambridge Institute |
| Thesis | The role of type 1 astrocytes in the reconstruction of glial environments in the CNS (1992) |
| Doctoral advisor | Prof Bill Blakemore |
Robin Franklin, FRS, is a British scientist who studies cells and the brain. He is a main researcher at the Altos Labs Cambridge Institute of Science. Before this, he was a Professor of Stem Cell Medicine at the Wellcome–MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute at the University of Cambridge. He is also an Emeritus Fellow at Pembroke College, Cambridge.
Education
Robin Franklin went to school at the Haberdashers' Aske's School in Elstree. He earned his first degree, a Bachelor of Science, from UCL in 1985. In 1988, he received a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine from the Royal Veterinary College, which is part of the University of London. He then went on to get his PhD in neuroscience from the University of Cambridge in 1992.
Research and Career
Professor Franklin is a leader in studying how nerves repair themselves. This process is called remyelination. It is super important because it helps fix damage to the protective layer around nerve cells. This layer is called myelin. When myelin gets damaged, nerve signals can slow down or stop.
He has made many important discoveries in this field, including:
- Finding out how the body's natural defense system, called the innate immune response, helps with nerve repair.
- Understanding how aging affects nerve repair and finding ways to help reverse these effects.
- Discovering how special brain cells, called CNS stem cells, can be activated to fix damage. He also found out where the cells that repair myelin come from.
- Learning how these special brain cells are controlled to become new repair cells.
- Showing for the first time that certain cells, like oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (which help make myelin) and olfactory ensheathing cells (found in the nose), can be moved to help repair nerves.
His work on certain medicines, like RXR and metformin, has even led to tests in people. These tests are to see if these medicines can help repair nerves in conditions like Multiple Sclerosis.
Awards and Honours
Professor Franklin has received many awards for his important work:
- 2004: He won the Cavanagh Prize from the British Neuropathological Society.
- 2006: He was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists.
- 2016: He became a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences.
- 2017: He received the Barancik Prize, an international award for research innovation, from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
- 2018: He was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.
- 2021: He won the King Faisal Prize for Medicine, a very important international award.
- 2022: He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is one of the oldest and most respected scientific organizations in the world.
