Noreen Murray
Encyclopedia
Noreen Elizabeth, Lady Murray (née Parker) CBE
, FRS FRSE (26 February 1935 – 12 May 2011) was an English molecular geneticist; until her 2001 retirement she held a personal chair in molecular genetics at the University of Edinburgh
.
. She was educated at Lancaster Girls' Grammar School
, at King's College London
(BSc
), and received her Ph.D.
from the University of Birmingham
in 1959.
, Cambridge University, and the Medical Research Council (UK)
before first joining the University of Edinburgh
faculty in 1967. She briefly moved to the European Molecular Biology Laboratory
from 1980-82, but returned to Edinburgh where she was awarded a personal chair in 1988. She has been president of the Genetical Society, vice president of the Royal Society
, and a member of the U.K. Science and Technology Honours Committee.
She was married to Sir Kenneth Murray, also a noted molecular biologist with whom she helped develop a vaccine
against hepatitis B, the first genetically-engineered vaccine approved for human use.
in 1982 and the Royal Society of Edinburgh
in 1989. She has received honorary degrees from the University of Warwick
, the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, the University of Birmingham, and Lancaster University
. She has also been given the Fred Griffith Review Lectureship of the Society for General Microbiology
and in 1989, for her work with lambda phage
, the Gabor Medal
of the Royal Society.
She was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire
in the New Year Honours list for 2002
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, FRS FRSE (26 February 1935 – 12 May 2011) was an English molecular geneticist; until her 2001 retirement she held a personal chair in molecular genetics at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
.
Education
Noreen Parker was brought up in the village of Read, Lancashire, then from the age of five in Bolton-le-SandsBolton-le-Sands
Bolton-le-Sands is a large village and civil parish of the City of Lancaster in Lancashire, England. The parish had a population of 4,098 recorded in the 2001 census,...
. She was educated at Lancaster Girls' Grammar School
Lancaster Girls' Grammar School
Lancaster Girls' Grammar School is a selective state grammar school for girls on Regent Street in Lancaster, England.-About LGGS:LGGS gained Technology College status in 1995, and Language College status in 2007, and has been consistently ranked among the top twenty performing secondary schools in...
, at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
(BSc
BSC
BSC is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to:Science and technology* Bachelor of Science , an undergraduate degree* Base Station Controller, part of a mobile phone network; see: Base Station subsystem...
), and received her Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
from the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
in 1959.
Career
She worked at Stanford UniversityStanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, Cambridge University, and the Medical Research Council (UK)
Medical Research Council (UK)
The Medical Research Council is a publicly-funded agency responsible for co-ordinating and funding medical research in the United Kingdom. It is one of seven Research Councils in the UK and is answerable to, although politically independent from, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
before first joining the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
faculty in 1967. She briefly moved to the European Molecular Biology Laboratory
European Molecular Biology Laboratory
The European Molecular Biology Laboratory is a molecular biology research institution supported by 20 European countries and Australia as associate member state. EMBL was created in 1974 and is an intergovernmental organisation funded by public research money from its member states...
from 1980-82, but returned to Edinburgh where she was awarded a personal chair in 1988. She has been president of the Genetical Society, vice president of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, and a member of the U.K. Science and Technology Honours Committee.
She was married to Sir Kenneth Murray, also a noted molecular biologist with whom she helped develop a vaccine
Vaccine
A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe or its toxins...
against hepatitis B, the first genetically-engineered vaccine approved for human use.
Awards and honours
Lady Murray was elected to the Royal SocietyRoyal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
in 1982 and the Royal Society of Edinburgh
Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity, operating on a wholly independent and non-party-political basis and providing public benefit throughout Scotland...
in 1989. She has received honorary degrees from the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
, the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, the University of Birmingham, and Lancaster University
Lancaster University
Lancaster University, officially The University of Lancaster, is a leading research-intensive British university in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The university was established by Royal Charter in 1964 and initially based in St Leonard's Gate until moving to a purpose-built 300 acre campus at...
. She has also been given the Fred Griffith Review Lectureship of the Society for General Microbiology
Society for General Microbiology
The Society for General Microbiology is a learned society based in the United Kingdom but with members in more than 60 countries. With approximately 5000 members, it is the largest microbiological society in Europe...
and in 1989, for her work with lambda phage
Lambda phage
Enterobacteria phage λ is a temperate bacteriophage that infects Escherichia coli.Lambda phage is a virus particle consisting of a head, containing double-stranded linear DNA as its genetic material, and a tail that can have tail fibers. The phage particle recognizes and binds to its host, E...
, the Gabor Medal
Gabor Medal
The Gabor Medal is a medal awarded by the Royal Society of London for "acknowledged distinction of interdisciplinary work between the life sciences with other disciplines". The medal was created in 1989 to honour the memory of Dennis Gabor, and is awarded biennially...
of the Royal Society.
She was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in the New Year Honours list for 2002
New Year Honours 2002
New Years' Honours are announced on or around the date of the New Year in the Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The dates vary, both from year to year and from country to country...
.