Richard Ambler
| Richard Penry Ambler | |
|---|---|
| Born |
26 May 1933 Bexleyheath, London, England |
| Died |
27 December 2013 (aged 80) Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Alma mater | Pembroke College, Cambridge |
| Occupation | Molecular biologist |
| Known for | Research into antibiotic resistance |
Richard Penry Ambler (26 May 1933 – 27 December 2013) was an English molecular biologist who conducted groundbreaking research into the evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.[1] Ambler was the first scientist to publish an amino acid sequence of a bacterial protein, and had a lengthy academic career at Edinburgh University.[1][2]
Early life and education
Ambler was born in 1933 to Henry Ambler, a state-employed chemist, and Anne Evans, a civil servant, in Bexleyheath, London.[2] In 1940, the family moved to Pune, India, where Ambler's father conducted wartime explosives research.[1] Ambler later returned to England to attend boarding school, before heading to Pembroke College, Cambridge, in 1954 to study natural sciences.[2] He remained at Cambridge to complete his PhD on bacterial proteins, under the tutelage of the Nobel Prize-winning scientist Fred Sanger.[1] In 1963, Ambler published the first amino acid sequence of a bacterial protein, developing new methods of protein sequencing to determine the structure of the mitochondrial cytochrome c protein.[1] Cytochrome c remains an important object of study for modern biologists.[1]
Academic career and bacterial research
In 1965, Ambler joined the newly created Department of Molecular Biology at Edinburgh University. He began a longstanding research project on the increasing resistance of certain bacteria to penicillin and other antibiotics, making important discoveries related to bacterial gene transfer and enzyme development.[1] In particular, Ambler found that horizontal gene transfer played a key role in the development of antibiotic resistance.[1] He headed the Department of Molecular Biology between 1984 and 1990, helping to reorganize it into more specialized sub-departments, and became a member of the European Molecular Biology Organisation in 1985.[2] He retired from Edinburgh University in the mid-1990s, and died in Edinburgh in December 2013.[2]
Personal life
Ambler was married twice, first to Pat Waddington and later to Susan Hewlett. He was survived by two daughters, four step-daughters and seven grandchildren.[2] He had a keen interest in archeology, and was a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Professor Richard Ambler". The Daily Telegraph. 13 February 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Obituary: Professor Richard Ambler, MA, PhD, scientist". The Scotsman. 27 December 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2014.