S3.11 From one generation to the next: the life and work of Anne McLaren
Kat: Hello, and welcome to Genetics Unzipped - the Genetics Society podcast, with me, Dr Kat Arney. In this episode we’re taking a look at the life of Dame Anne McLaren - one of the leading embryologists of the 20th century, whose work underpinned the development of the in vitro fertilisation techniques responsible for bringing millions of bundles of joy into the world, and much more besides.
Before we start, a quick plug for Ingenious - my recent five-part series on BBC Radio 4, produced by the brilliant Beth Sagar-Fenton, looking at the stories (and some of the science) behind five of my favourite human genes. There’s the Ginger Gene, the Breast Cancer Gene, the Milkshake gene, the Alzheimer’s Gene and the Cyclops Gene - also known as Sonic Hedgehog, the best gene of all time, in my personal opinion.
When I started my PhD at the Gurdon Institute in Cambridge, I was an ambitious, and probably quite insufferable, young thing straight out of university. At the other end of her scientific lifespan was Anne — more formally known as the Honorable Dame Anne Laura Dorinthea McLaren — who, even though in her 70s, was a regular and forceful presence in the lab and in our shared team meetings.
Once I’d got over my arrogant assumption that this short but sprightly old lady had nothing to teach me, I became hugely respectful of her views and thoughts.
As a newly hatched scientist, I was learning my trade working with Professor Azim Surani. My research was embryonic in both senses of the word, as I tried to understand some of the earliest events that happen when life begins…
Read the full story in the book A Passion for Science: Stories of discovery and invention, which is packed with 20 stories about amazing women in science and is available to download as an ebook for just £1.99.
Thanks very much to Suw Charman-Anderson, founder of Ada Lovelace Day and the Finding Ada network, who commissioned me to write about Anne for the book, and to my old boss Professor Azim Surani for the coffee and conversation about Anne’s life and work.
That’s all for now. Next time, we’ll be heading out into the world - from the safety of our home studio - to find out exactly what goes on during a genetics field trip, with the help of some charming kakapos.
You can find us on Twitter @geneticsunzip and please do take a moment to rate and review us on Apple podcasts - it really makes a difference and helps more people discover the show.
Genetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney.It is produced by First Create the Media for The Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned societies in the world dedicated to supporting and promoting the research, teaching and application of genetics. You can find out more and apply to join at genetics.org.uk
Our theme music was composed by Dan Pollard, and the logo was designed by James Mayall, and production was by Hannah Varrall. Thanks for listening, and until next time, goodbye.
All music and sound effects licensed from Epidemic Sound or Envato
