Patricia Clarke
Encyclopedia
Patricia Hannah Clarke, née Green, FRS
(28 July 1919 — 28 January 2010) was a British biochemist
.
Clarke was born in Pontypridd
, South Wales, and was educated at Howell's School, Llandaff
, from 1930 to 1937, before studying the Natural Sciences Tripos at Girton College, Cambridge, from 1937 to 1940.
After graduating she took a post at the Armament Research Department of the Ministry of Supply in Swansea to work on explosives. She returned to biochemistry in 1944 when she joined the Wellcome Trust
Research Laboratories at Beckenham, Kent. In 1951, she moved to work part-time at the National Collection of Type Cultures of bacteria in the Central Public Health Laboratory at Colindale, London.
Her final move was to the Department of Biochemistry at University College, London, as Assistant Lecturer, being appointed Lecturer in 1956, Reader in 1966 and Professor of Microbial Biochemistry in 1974. Her major field of research was bacterial enzyme
s production and metabolism.
She was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
in 1976. and delivered their Leeuwenhoek Lecture
in 1979.
In 1940, she married Michael Clarke; they had two children in 1947 and 1949.
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"...
(28 July 1919 — 28 January 2010) was a British biochemist
Biochemist
Biochemists are scientists who are trained in biochemistry. Typical biochemists study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. The prefix of "bio" in "biochemist" can be understood as a fusion of "biological chemist."-Role:...
.
Clarke was born in Pontypridd
Pontypridd
Pontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff...
, South Wales, and was educated at Howell's School, Llandaff
Llandaff
Llandaff is a district in the north of Cardiff, capital of Wales, having been incorporated into the city in 1922. It is the seat of the Church in Wales Bishop of Llandaff, whose diocese covers the most populous area of South Wales. Much of the district is covered by parkland known as Llandaff...
, from 1930 to 1937, before studying the Natural Sciences Tripos at Girton College, Cambridge, from 1937 to 1940.
After graduating she took a post at the Armament Research Department of the Ministry of Supply in Swansea to work on explosives. She returned to biochemistry in 1944 when she joined the Wellcome Trust
Wellcome Trust
The Wellcome Trust was established in 1936 as an independent charity funding research to improve human and animal health. With an endowment of around £13.9 billion, it is the United Kingdom's largest non-governmental source of funds for biomedical research...
Research Laboratories at Beckenham, Kent. In 1951, she moved to work part-time at the National Collection of Type Cultures of bacteria in the Central Public Health Laboratory at Colindale, London.
Her final move was to the Department of Biochemistry at University College, London, as Assistant Lecturer, being appointed Lecturer in 1956, Reader in 1966 and Professor of Microbial Biochemistry in 1974. Her major field of research was bacterial enzyme
Enzyme
Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process, called substrates, are converted into different molecules, called products. Almost all chemical reactions in a biological cell need enzymes in order to occur at rates...
s production and metabolism.
She 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"...
in 1976. and delivered their Leeuwenhoek Lecture
Leeuwenhoek Lecture
The Leeuwenhoek Lecture is a prize lecture of the Royal Society originally given annually, but now every three years, on the subject of microbiology. It is named after the Dutch microscopist Anton van Leeuwenhoek and was instituted in 1948 from a bequest...
in 1979.
In 1940, she married Michael Clarke; they had two children in 1947 and 1949.