Rosa Beddington

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Rosa Beddington
Born 23 March 1956
Hampshire
Died 18 May 2001(2001-05-18) (aged 45)
Great Tew, Oxfordshire
Nationality United Kingdom
Fields Developmental biology
Institutions

Oxford, Imperial Cancer Research Fund, Cold Spring Harbor, National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR)

Centre for Genome Research, Edinburgh
Alma mater Brasenose College, Oxford
Thesis Studies on cell fate and cell potency in the postimplantation mammalian embryo (1981)
Known for Anterior-posterior patterning in mammalian embryos
Notable awards The Waddington Medal
Lister fellowship
Spouse Robin Denniston

Rosa Susan Penelope Beddington FRS (23 March 1956 – 18 May 2001) was a British biologist[2] whose career had a major impact on developmental biology.[3]

Biography

Beddington was born on 23 March 1956, the second daughter of Roy and Anna Beddington (née Griffith).[4] She attended Sherborne School for Girls and then attended Brasenose College, Oxford;[4] from 1974, obtaining a First in Physiological Sciences in 1977. Beddington embarked on the study of anterior-posterior axial patterning in mammalian embryos, beginning with her doctoral thesis entitled, "Studies on cell fate and cell potency in the postimplantation mammalian embryo"[5] supervised by Richard Gardner and Ginny Papaioannou,[1] and was awarded a DPhil in 1981.[4]

Beddington died on 18 May 2001 from complications of cancer.[1]

Career

The Waddington medal designed by Rosa Beddington[1]

Beddington published numerous high-profile papers in her relatively short career (several important papers being published posthumously). She worked extensively on the developmental genetics of axial patterning, germ layer specification, and other phenomena of gastrulation in mammals,[1] including demonstrating that the node is the organizer in mammals.[6] Her technical contributions to experimental embryology include surgical re-implantation into the uterus to extend the time an experimentally manipulated embryo can be cultured[7] and the use of a transgenic marker (beta-galactosidase) to identify transplant versus host tissue in experimental embryos. [8]

While a fellow at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund (now Cancer Research UK) laboratory in Oxford, Beddington and Elizabeth Robertson recognised the potential of embryonic stem cells for the study of genetic manipulation after demonstrating the ability of these cells to colonise developing embryos.[9][3]

Beddington taught at the newly established Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories summer course on manipulating the mouse embryo from 1986, including two years as co-organiser with Robertson.[1] Beddington was the meetings secretary for the British Society for Developmental Biology (BSDB) from 1990-95. In 1993, she established and lead a Division of Mammalian Development at the National Institute for Medical Research.

Recognition and awards

A talented artist, she designed the Waddington Medal, awarded for outstanding performance and contribution to the field of developmental biology. Beddington herself received the Waddington Medal in 1999.[3] [10] Additionally, the British Society for Developmental Biology has established in her honor The Beddington Medal, a national prize given for the most outstanding PhD dissertation in developmental biology in the previous year.[11] Its design is based upon drawings by Beddington.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Rastan, S.; Robertson, E. (December 2005). "Rosa Susan Penelope Beddington. 23 March 1956 - 18 May 2001: Elected F.R.S. 1999". Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society 51 (0): 15–32. doi:10.1098/rsbm.2005.0002. 
  2. ↑ "Rosa Beddington". Who Was Who. Retrieved 19 October 2012. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Skehel, John. "Obituary: Rosa Beddington". The Guardian. The Guardian. Retrieved 19 October 2012. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Rosa Beddington". The Telegraph. 23 May 2001. Retrieved 20 October 2012. 
  5. ↑ Beddington, Rosa. Studies on cell fate and cell potency in the postimplantation mammalian embryo. 1981.
  6. ↑ Beddington, RSP. "Induction of a second neural axis by the mouse node." 1994. Development 120, 613–620.
  7. ↑ Beddington, RSP. "The development of 12th to 14th day fetuses following re-implantation of pre- and early primitive streak stage mouse embryos." 1985. J. Embryol. Exp. Morphol. 88, 281–291.
  8. ↑ Beddington, RSP; Morgenstern, J; Land, H; Hogan, A. "An in situ transgenic enzyme marker for the midgestation mouse fetus and the visualization of inner cell mass clones during early organogenesis." 1989. Development 106, 37–46.
  9. ↑ Beddington, RSP; Robertson, EJ. "An assessment of the developmental potential of embryonic stem cells in the midgestation mouse embryo." 1989. Development 105, 733–737.
  10. ↑ "The Waddington Medal". The Waddington Medal. Retrieved 12 October 2013. 
  11. ↑ "The Beddington Medal". The Beddington Medal. Retrieved 12 October 2013. 
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