Nicholas Wald
Encyclopedia
Professor Sir
Nicholas John Wald, MB, BS, DSc (Lond), FRCP, FFPH, FRCOG, FMedSci, CBiol, FlBiol, FRS is Professor of Environmental and Preventive Medicine at the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, part of Queen Mary, University of London
.
An epidemiologist
and educator, his main research has been in antenatal screening
of pregnant women for congenital malformations
. In the 1970s he showed that fetal neural tube defects could be detected by measuring alpha-fetoprotein
in the mother's blood. This was the first example of screening for fetal abnormalities.
With epidemiologist Ian Leck (D.Sc, FRCP), Wald wrote Antenatal and Neonatal Screening: the book won the Public Health Category of the 2001 BMA
Medical Book Competition. He has received numerous awards, including, in 2000, the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation Award for Scientific Research. Wald was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
(FRS) in 2004, and was knighted
in the 2008 Birthday Honours for services to preventive medicine.
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
Nicholas John Wald, MB, BS, DSc (Lond), FRCP, FFPH, FRCOG, FMedSci, CBiol, FlBiol, FRS is Professor of Environmental and Preventive Medicine at the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, part of Queen Mary, University of London
Queen Mary, University of London
Queen Mary, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
.
An epidemiologist
Epidemiology
Epidemiology is the study of health-event, health-characteristic, or health-determinant patterns in a population. It is the cornerstone method of public health research, and helps inform policy decisions and evidence-based medicine by identifying risk factors for disease and targets for preventive...
and educator, his main research has been in antenatal screening
Prenatal diagnosis
Prenatal diagnosis or prenatal screening is testing for diseases or conditions in a fetus or embryo before it is born. The aim is to detect birth defects such as neural tube defects, Down syndrome, chromosome abnormalities, genetic diseases and other conditions, such as spina bifida, cleft palate,...
of pregnant women for congenital malformations
Congenital disorder
A congenital disorder, or congenital disease, is a condition existing at birth and often before birth, or that develops during the first month of life , regardless of causation...
. In the 1970s he showed that fetal neural tube defects could be detected by measuring alpha-fetoprotein
Alpha-fetoprotein
Alpha-fetoprotein is a protein that in humans is encoded by the AFP gene....
in the mother's blood. This was the first example of screening for fetal abnormalities.
With epidemiologist Ian Leck (D.Sc, FRCP), Wald wrote Antenatal and Neonatal Screening: the book won the Public Health Category of the 2001 BMA
British Medical Association
The British Medical Association is the professional association and registered trade union for doctors in the United Kingdom. The association does not regulate or certify doctors, a responsibility which lies with the General Medical Council. The association’s headquarters are located in BMA House,...
Medical Book Competition. He has received numerous awards, including, in 2000, the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation Award for Scientific Research. Wald was elected a Fellow 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"...
(FRS) in 2004, and was knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in the 2008 Birthday Honours for services to preventive medicine.