Anne McLaren
Oxford University | |
---|---|
Spouse | |
Awards | Royal Medal (1990) Japan Prize (2002) |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Developmental biology, animal genetics |
Doctoral advisor | Kingsley Sanders |
Other academic advisors | J. B. S. Haldane Peter Medawar |
Dame Anne Laura Dorinthea McLaren,
Early life
McLaren was born into a privileged family with notable lineage, as the fourth of five children.
In 1945 she was awarded a scholarship for the next year at
Married life and early career
On 6 October 1952 married fellow student Dr
During this period, she had three children:
- Susan Michie (1955)[6]
- Jonathan Michie (1957)[6]
- Caroline Michie (1959)[6]
The marriage ended in divorce in 1959, and McLaren moved to the
Later career
McLaren spent the next 15 years (1959–1974) at the Institute of Animal Genetics, studying fertility, development and epigenetics, including the development of mouse
In 1974, she left Edinburgh to become the Director of the
McLaren's work often took her outside the university. She was a member of the committee established to inquire into the technologies of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and embryology, which later produced the
In 1992, she retired from the Unit and moved to Cambridge where she worked for the next 15 years.[5][8] She joined the Wellcome/CRC Institute, later the Gurdon Institute. She was made a Fellow-Commoner of Christ's College, Cambridge in 1991.[8] During this period she pursued her interests in sex determination, germ cells, and genomic imprinting, contributing to 48 papers.[5][4] In addition, she used her position to promote women in academia and became an Honorary Fellow of Lucy Cavendish College in 1994.[5] She was active in her support in the advancement of women in science and was a founder of the Association of Women in Science and Engineering (AWiSE). She was president of the AWiSE for several years.[6]
In 2004, McLaren was one of the co-founders of the Frozen Ark project, along with husband and wife Bryan and Ann Clarke. The project's aim is "saving the DNA and viable cells of the world's endangered species".[12]
Research
While obtaining her doctorate in philosophy, she investigated the mechanisms of virus infection on the nervous system.[4]
After her doctoral work, she shifted her research to embryology (now called
During her collaborative research with Marilyn Monk and
She contributed to regenerative medicine by exploring the
Honours and awards
In 1975, McLaren was made a
In 1993, she was created a
In 2002, she was the only female recipient awarded the
Death
After reuniting in 2005, McLaren (aged 80) and Michie (aged 83) were killed on 7 July 2007, in a car accident on the M11 motorway as they travelled from Cambridge to London.[4][13]
Legacy
Anne McLaren's collaboration with Marilyn Monk and Elizabeth Simpson significantly advanced our modern understanding of sex determination and male fertility.
Her book "Mammalian Chimeras," published in 1976, solidified her as one of the world's leading experts in chimeras. [5] She also published a book titled Germ Cells and Soma in 1967. Both of these are considered classics in the field.[11]
In addition to her research, she played a crucial role in addressing the social, ethical, and political dimensions of cloning and stem cell research by actively engaging in bioethical discussions and contributing to the understanding of the implications of these technologies. Her involvement in discussions and her commitment to considering the broader social impact of these advancements marked her as a prominent voice surrounding these groundbreaking technologies.[6]
She is remembered for her participation in setting up the Stem Cell Centre and the Centre for Trophoblast Research at
McLaren is an inspiration to women in science through her distinguished career, breaking barriers and achieving numerous scientific honors. She inspired and opened doors for future generations of women in the field. Her support for emerging professionals in the field has been widely recognized and praised.[4]
The Anne McLaren Papers are housed at the British Library and can be accessed through the British Library catalogue.[14]
There is a fund in the name of Anne McLaren for encouragement of scientific study.[11][15] Cambridge University's Anne McLaren Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine was opened at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus in 2009.[16]
On 26 April 2021, Google celebrated her 94th birthday with a Google Doodle.[17]
Obituaries
- Surani, Azim; Smith, Jim (16 August 2007). "Obituary: Dame Anne McLaren (1927–2007)". S2CID 3231099.
- S2CID 142581881.
- Vasetzky SG, Dyban AP, Zelenin AV (March 2008). "Dame Anne McLaren (1927–2007)". Russian Journal of Developmental Biology. 39 (2): 125–126. S2CID 195229748.
See also
- Beatrice Mintz, a contemporary of Dame Anne McLaren
References
- required.)
- PMID 17571324.
- ^ a b "Anne Laura Dorinthea McLaren (1927-2007) | Embryo Project Encyclopedia". embryo.asu.edu. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Aucott, Rachel (20 March 2019). "Dame Anne McLaren". www.zoo.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
- ^ S2CID 257233529.
- ^ PMID 17907937.
- IMDb.
- ^ a b c d e Smith, J (2007). "Prof. Dame Anne McLaren DBE, FRS (Fellow-Commoner 1991)". Christ's College Magazine. 232: 112–114.
- S2CID 4217944.
- ^ Leese, Henry (7 April 2018). "In Memoriam Professor John Biggers". Society for Reproduction and Fertility. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f "Anne McLaren". Gurdon Institute. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
- ^ "Information about the Frozen Ark". The Frozen Ark Project. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- ^ "Academic pair killed in car crash". BBC News. 8 July 2007. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
- ^ Anne McLaren Papers, archives and manuscripts catalogue, the British Library. Retrieved 15 May 2020
- ^ "The Anne McLaren Memorial Fund". Christ's College Cambridge. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
- ^ "New centre for biomedical research opens". University of Cambridge. 2 June 2009. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
- ^ "Anne McLaren's 94th Birthday". Google. 26 April 2021.
External links
- Research group homepage
- Biographical interview Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
- Tribute from her students
- Anne McLaren at IMDb