Wendy Bickmore facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wendy Bickmore
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Bickmore in 2017
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| Born | 28 July 1961 Shoreham-by-Sea, England
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| Education | Chichester High School for Girls |
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| Thesis | Molecular analysis of DNA sequences from the human Y chromosome |
| Doctoral advisor | Howard Cooke |
Wendy Anne Bickmore is a British scientist. She was born on July 28, 1961. She is famous for her work on how our genetic material, called the genome, is organized inside our cells.
Early Life and Education
Wendy Bickmore was born in Shoreham-by-Sea, England. This was on July 28, 1961. She went to Chichester High School for Girls. There, her biology teacher helped her discover a love for science. Her parents were also keen gardeners. This helped her interest in nature grow.
She read a book called 'The Chemistry of Life'. This book made her want to study biochemistry. She then went to the University of Oxford. She earned her first degree there. After that, she studied for her PhD at the University of Edinburgh. Her research looked at the DNA on the human Y chromosome. Her supervisors were Howard Cooke and Adrian Bird. From 1991 to 1996, she was a special fellow. This was at the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine.
Research and Career
Dr. Bickmore's work focuses on how DNA is packed inside our cells. DNA is found in structures called chromosomes. She studies how these chromosomes and specific genes are organized. This happens inside the cell nucleus.
Her research also looks at how this organization is controlled. This control is important during development. It helps genes turn on and off correctly. She also studies what happens when this organization goes wrong. Sometimes, problems with genome organization can lead to diseases.
In 2020, her research was important. It helped understand why some people got very sick from COVID-19. She studied how likely people were to have serious symptoms.
Dr. Bickmore was the president of The Genetics Society. She held this role from 2015 to 2018. As of 2021, she is the director. She leads the MRC Human Genetics Unit. This unit is at the University of Edinburgh. She also helps guide the science journal Genes & Development.
Awards and Honours
Wendy Bickmore has received many important awards. In 2001, she became a member of EMBO. This is a group for top life scientists. She was also chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) in 2005. In the same year, she became a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci).
In 2017, she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very high honour for scientists. In 2021, she received another special award. She was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This was for her great work in biomedical sciences. It also recognized her efforts to support women in science.
Personal Life
Wendy Bickmore cares about the environment. She is a member of an organization called Trees for Life. This group works to bring back the forests in the Highlands of Scotland.
