Walter Bodmer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Walter Bodmer
FRS FRSE
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Walter Bodmer, 2023
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| Born |
Walter Fred Bodmer
10 January 1936 |
| Education | Manchester Grammar School |
| Alma mater | University of Cambridge (BA, PhD) |
| Spouse(s) |
Julia Bodmer
(m. 1956; died 2001) |
| Awards |
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| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | |
| Thesis | The study of population genetics and gene effects, with special reference to Primula vulgaris and the house mouse (1959) |
| Academic advisors | Ronald Fisher |
| Doctoral students |
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Sir Walter Fred Bodmer, born on January 10, 1936, is a famous British scientist who studies human genetics. He was born in Germany.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Walter Bodmer was born in Frankfurt, Germany. He went to Manchester Grammar School. Later, he studied math at the University of Cambridge, where he was part of Clare College, Cambridge.
In 1959, he earned his PhD from Cambridge. His research looked at how genes change in groups of living things, like house mice and primroses. His teacher was Ronald Fisher, another well-known scientist.
A Career in Genetics
In 1961, Bodmer joined Joshua Lederberg's lab at Stanford University in the United States. He continued his work on how genes spread through populations. In 1962, he became a professor at Stanford.
In 1970, Walter Bodmer moved back to the UK. He became the very first professor of genetics at the University of Oxford.
Important Research and Projects
Bodmer created ways to understand how genes behave in groups of people and animals. He also studied the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system, which is important for our immune system.
In 1985, he led a committee for the Royal Society. They wrote a report called The Bodmer Report. This report helped start the idea of making science easier for everyone to understand.
Walter Bodmer was one of the first people to suggest the idea of the Human Genome Project. This huge project aimed to map out all the genes in humans.
He also worked as the director of research (from 1979 to 1991) and then director general (from 1991 to 1996) for the Imperial Cancer Research Fund. This organization studies cancer.
The People of the British Isles Project
In 2005, Bodmer started a big project at the University of Oxford. It was funded by the Wellcome Trust. The project aimed to study the genetic makeup of people in the United Kingdom.
He worked with other experts like Professor Peter Donnelly. Their goal was to find out how people's genes in Britain relate to history and archaeology.
The researchers collected DNA samples from many volunteers across Britain. They looked for clues in the DNA that showed how different groups of people, like Celts, Saxons, and Vikings, settled in Britain over time.
Their findings showed that most Viking invaders in Britain came from Denmark. However, the Orkney Islands were settled by Vikings from Norway. This research helps us understand the history of Britain through its genes.
Current Work
Since 1996, Sir Walter Bodmer has been leading the cancer and immunogenetics laboratory at the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine at the University of Oxford. His team studies the basic genetics and biology of colorectal cancer.
Awards and Recognition
Sir Walter Bodmer has received many important awards for his scientific work:
- 1974: Became a Fellow of the Royal Society, a very respected group of scientists.
- 1980: Received the William Allan Award.
- 1986: Was made a Knight Bachelor, which means he can use "Sir" before his name.
- 1994: Won the Michael Faraday Prize for helping the public understand science.
- 2013: Awarded the Royal Medal from the Royal Society.
He also gave the famous Royal Institution Christmas Lectures in 1984. These lectures are for young people and help them learn about science.
Personal Life
Walter Bodmer's family had to leave Nazi Germany in 1938 because his father was Jewish. They moved to Manchester, England.
In 1956, Walter Bodmer married Julia Bodmer. She was also a well-known geneticist. They had two sons and a daughter. Lady Bodmer passed away in 2001.
Interviews
