Melinda Duer

Last updated

Melinda Duer
FRSC
Melinda Duer, 2021.jpg
Melinda Duer at Cambridge, 2021
Born
Melinda J. Duer

(1963-10-01) 1 October 1963 (age 61)
NationalityBritish
Education University of Cambridge (BA, MA, PhD)
Awards Interdisciplinary Prize (2017)
Suffrage Science award (2019)
Scientific career
Fields Biological chemistry and biomedical Chemistry
Institutions University of Cambridge
Robinson College, Cambridge
Thesis The parametric probes of ligand field theory  (1988)
Doctoral advisor Malcolm Gerloch
Website Duer Lab
Robinson College webpage

Melinda Jane Duer FRSC is Professor of Biological and Biomedical Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge, and was the first woman to be appointed to an academic position in the department. Her research investigates changes in molecular structure of the extracellular matrix in tissues in disease and during ageing. She serves as Deputy Warden of Robinson College, Cambridge. [1] She is an editorial board member of the Journal of Magnetic Resonance. [2]

Contents

Early life and education

Duer attended Sir James Smith's School, a comprehensive school in North Cornwall. [3] [4] [5] She enjoyed science at high school and was encouraged by her chemistry teacher to study natural sciences at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where she specialized in chemistry. [4] She was the first member of her family to attend higher education. [5] [6] Duer went on to complete her PhD in 1988 in theoretical chemistry with Malcolm Gerloch, where she investigated ligand field theory. [7]

Research and career

During the course of her PhD research, Duer developed an interest in nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) while chatting with Lynn Gladden who frequently worked on the spectrometer in the room opposite Duer's office at the time. Towards the end of her PhD, Duer proposed using solid-state NMR to investigate organometallic catalytic species in response to an advertised temporary lectureship in the department. [8] Thus, she became the first woman to be appointed to a lectureship in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge in 1988. [4] In 1990, she was awarded a Royal Society University Research Fellowship. [8] [9]

Duer begun her research in solid-state NMR by investigating molecular mobility in porous materials in collaboration with Gladden who has moved to the Department of Chemical Engineering. [10] [11] [12] She went on to investigate molecular mobility more broadly, in polymers and other solids. [8] [13] With a theoretical chemistry background and through discussions with Malcolm Levitt and others, Duer also developed solid-state NMR experiments to probe anisotropic interactions, such as quadrupolar interactions [14] [15] [16] [17] and chemical shift anisotropy. [18] [19] [20] In 2001 and 2004, she published two books on solid-state NMR, targeted at graduate students. [21] [22]

In early 2000s, Duer pioneered the use of solid-state NMR to investigate biological tissues, including keratin [23] and bones, [24] frequently obtained from horses due to her interest in horse riding. [3] Her previous research on liquid crystal phases of polymers led her to wonder whether similar phases could form in keratin. [4]

Duer has extensively investigated the extracellular matrix, the component of biological tissues that simultaneously serves as the communication system between cells and provides a scaffold to support them. She is particularly interested in the molecular mechanisms that underpin the functions of the extracellular matrix. By understanding the structure-property relationships of biological tissue, Duer works to unravel the processes that give rise to collagenous tissue and mineralisation. [25]

Duer has investigated the calcification of blood vessels that occurs when people age. [4] She proposed that the hardening of arteries caused by the build-up of calcium may be triggered by polymeric adenosine diphosphate ribose (PAR), a molecule that is produced when the DNA inside cells is damaged. [26] One of her graduate students launched a spin-out company, Cycle Pharmaceuticals, which provides personalised treatment to patients with vascular diseases. [4] She was promoted to Professor in 2015. [4]

Duer was awarded the Royal Society of Chemistry Interdisciplinary Prize in 2017, [27] and the Suffrage Science award in 2019. [28] [29]

Commercial ventures

Apart from licensing novel treatment for treating vascular disease to Cycle Pharmaceuticals, [30] [31] Duer is a co-founder of Cambridge Oncology Ltd. [32]

Mentoring and international development

Duer is part of the Strategic Advisory Group of the Cambridge-Africa Programme, an initiative by the University of Cambridge to strengthen research capacity with African universities and research institutions. [33] In this role, Duer mentors African academics such as Dr Mercy Badu of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. [34]

As a previous holder of the Suffrage Science award, Duer nominated Dr Mary Anti Chama of the University of Ghana for the same award in 2021. [35] [36] [37] [38]

Selected publications

Journal articles

Books

Personal life

Duer used to be an equestrian, and has said that her interest in biological chemistry started with studying keratin in horses hooves and understanding leg fractures in one of her rescue horses. [4] [5] Her other interests include cycling and competing in triathlons.

Related Research Articles

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Spectroscopy is the field of study that measures and interprets electromagnetic spectrum. In narrower contexts, spectroscopy is the precise study of color as generalized from visible light to all bands of the electromagnetic spectrum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy</span> Laboratory technique

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, most commonly known as NMR spectroscopy or magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), is a spectroscopic technique based on re-orientation of atomic nuclei with non-zero nuclear spins in an external magnetic field. This re-orientation occurs with absorption of electromagnetic radiation in the radio frequency region from roughly 4 to 900 MHz, which depends on the isotopic nature of the nucleus and increased proportionally to the strength of the external magnetic field. Notably, the resonance frequency of each NMR-active nucleus depends on its chemical environment. As a result, NMR spectra provide information about individual functional groups present in the sample, as well as about connections between nearby nuclei in the same molecule. As the NMR spectra are unique or highly characteristic to individual compounds and functional groups, NMR spectroscopy is one of the most important methods to identify molecular structures, particularly of organic compounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magic angle spinning</span>

In solid-state NMR spectroscopy, magic-angle spinning (MAS) is a technique routinely used to produce better resolution NMR spectra. MAS NMR consists in spinning the sample at the magic angle θm with respect to the direction of the magnetic field.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance</span>

Solid-state NMR (ssNMR) spectroscopy is a technique for characterizing atomic level structure in solid materials e.g. powders, single crystals and amorphous samples and tissues using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The anisotropic part of many spin interactions are present in solid-state NMR, unlike in solution-state NMR where rapid tumbling motion averages out many of the spin interactions. As a result, solid-state NMR spectra are characterised by larger linewidths than in solution state NMR, which can be utilized to give quantitative information on the molecular structure, conformation and dynamics of the material. Solid-state NMR is often combined with magic angle spinning to remove anisotropic interactions and improve the resolution as well as the sensitivity of the technique.

The magic angle is a precisely defined angle, the value of which is approximately 54.7356°. The magic angle is a root of a second-order Legendre polynomial, P2(cos θ) = 0, and so any interaction which depends on this second-order Legendre polynomial vanishes at the magic angle. This property makes the magic angle of particular importance in magic angle spinning solid-state NMR spectroscopy. In magnetic resonance imaging, structures with ordered collagen, such as tendons and ligaments, oriented at the magic angle may appear hyperintense in some sequences; this is called the magic angle artifact or effect.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pake doublet</span>

A Pake Doublet is a characteristic line shape seen in solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. It was first described by George Pake.

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Herbert Sander Gutowsky was an American chemist who was a professor of chemistry at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Gutowsky was the first to apply nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods to the field of chemistry. He used nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to determine the structure of molecules. His pioneering work developed experimental control of NMR as a scientific instrument, connected experimental observations with theoretical models, and made NMR one of the most effective analytical tools for analysis of molecular structure and dynamics in liquids, solids, and gases, used in chemical and medical research, His work was relevant to the solving of problems in chemistry, biochemistry, and materials science, and has influenced many of the subfields of more recent NMR spectroscopy.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nuclear magnetic resonance</span> Spectroscopic technique based on change of nuclear spin state

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References

  1. ↑ College webpage
  2. ↑ "Melinda Duer, PhD". www.journals.elsevier.com. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Bone matters - researching the structure of bones". Alumni. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Duer, Melinda (Spring 2018). "Q&A: Melinda Duer". Chem@Cam (Interview). No. 57. Interviewed by Diane Harris. Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge. pp. 22–23. Retrieved 7 October 2023– via www.ch.cam.ac.uk.
  5. 1 2 3 "Professor Melinda Duer - Understanding the molecular structure of biological tissues". YouTube . 1 June 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  6. ↑ "Melinda Duer | Duer Research Group". www.ch.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  7. ↑ Duer, Melinda J (1988). The parametric probes of ligand field theory (Thesis). OCLC   53521744.
  8. 1 2 3 Duer, Melinda J. (15 December 2011), "Duer, M. J.: The Power of Serendipity", in Harris, Robin K. (ed.), Encyclopedia of Magnetic Resonance, Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, pp. emrhp1086, doi:10.1002/9780470034590.emrhp1086, ISBN   978-0-470-03459-0 , retrieved 22 April 2021
  9. ↑ "Women in Chemistry, Melinda Duer | Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry". www.ch.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  10. ↑ Portsmouth, R.L.; Duer, M.J.; Gladden, L.F. (1 January 1993). "Transport in Zeolites: Application of NMR to Probe Sorption Phenomena". Proceedings from the Ninth International Zeolite Conference. pp. 37–44. doi:10.1016/B978-1-4832-8383-8.50089-1. ISBN   9781483283838.
  11. ↑ Portsmouth, R. L.; Duer, M. J.; Gladden, L. F. (1 January 1995). "2 H NMR studies of single-component adsorption in silicalite: a comparative study of benzene and p-xylene". Journal of the Chemical Society, Faraday Transactions. 91 (3): 559–567. doi:10.1039/FT9959100559. ISSN   1364-5455.
  12. ↑ Duer, M.J.; Elliott, S.R.; Gladden, L.F. (2 August 1995). "An investigation of the structural units in sodium disilicate glass: a 2-D 29Si NMR study". Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids. 189 (1–2): 107–117. doi:10.1016/0022-3093(95)00199-9. ISSN   0022-3093.
  13. ↑ Duer, Melinda J. (1 January 2001). Solid-state NMR studies of molecular motion. Annual Reports on NMR Spectroscopy. Vol. 43. pp. 1–58. doi:10.1016/S0066-4103(01)43008-0. ISBN   9780125053433. ISSN   0066-4103.
  14. ↑ Duer, Melinda J.; Stourton, Clare (1 January 1997). "Further Developments in MQMAS NMR Spectroscopy for Spin-32Nuclei". Journal of Magnetic Resonance. 124 (1): 189–199. doi:10.1006/jmre.1996.1012. ISSN   1090-7807.
  15. ↑ Duer, M.J.; Painter, A.J. (19 November 1999). "Correlating quadrupolar nuclear spins: a multiple-quantum NMR approach". Chemical Physics Letters. 313 (5–6): 763–770. doi:10.1016/S0009-2614(99)01043-X. ISSN   0009-2614.
  16. ↑ Painter, A. James; Duer, Melinda J. (27 December 2001). "Double-quantum-filtered nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy applied to quadrupolar nuclei in solids". The Journal of Chemical Physics. 116 (2): 710–722. doi:10.1063/1.1425831. ISSN   0021-9606.
  17. ↑ Ashbrook, Sharon E.; Duer, Melinda J. (2006). "Structural information from quadrupolar nuclei in solid state NMR". Concepts in Magnetic Resonance Part A. 28A (3): 183–248. doi:10.1002/cmr.a.20053. ISSN   1552-5023.
  18. ↑ Orr, Robin M.; Duer, Melinda J.; Ashbrook, Sharon E. (1 June 2005). "Correlating fast and slow chemical shift spinning sideband patterns in solid-state NMR". Journal of Magnetic Resonance. 174 (2): 301–309. doi:10.1016/j.jmr.2005.03.001. ISSN   1090-7807. PMID   15862248.
  19. ↑ Orr, Robin M.; Duer, Melinda J. (1 July 2006). "Recoupling of chemical-shift anisotropy powder patterns in MAS NMR". Journal of Magnetic Resonance. 181 (1): 1–8. doi:10.1016/j.jmr.2006.03.010. ISSN   1090-7807. PMID   16574445.
  20. ↑ Orr, Robin M.; Duer, Melinda J. (1 July 2006). "Applications of the CSA-amplified PASS experiment". Solid State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. 30 (1): 1–8. doi:10.1016/j.ssnmr.2005.12.001. ISSN   0926-2040. PMID   16406513.
  21. ↑ Duer, Melinda J (2002). Duer, Melinda J (ed.). Solid-state NMR spectroscopy: principles and applications. Malden, MA: Blackwell Science. doi:10.1002/9780470999394. ISBN   978-0-470-99939-4. OCLC   184983770.
  22. ↑ Duer, Melinda J (2004). Introduction to solid-state NMR spectroscopy. Oxford, UK; Malden, MA: Blackwell. ISBN   978-1-4051-0914-7. OCLC   53178681.
  23. ↑ Duer, Melinda J.; McDougal, Nicky; Murray, Rachel C. (19 June 2003). "A solid-state NMR study of the structure and molecular mobility of α-keratin". Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. 5 (13): 2894–2899. doi:10.1039/B302506C. ISSN   1463-9084.
  24. ↑ "Heavy mice and light things: using solid-state NMR spectroscopy to understand biological tissues in health and disease | Biological Sciences | University of Southampton". www.southampton.ac.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  25. ↑ "Professor Melinda Duer | Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry". www.ch.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  26. ↑ "Mystery of why arteries harden may have been solved, say scientists". The Guardian. 11 June 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  27. ↑ "Prizes and awards 2017". Royal Society of Chemistry. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  28. ↑ "Suffrage Science Awards 2019: 12 role models in engineering & physical sciences awarded heirlooms". LMS London Institute of Medical Sciences. 12 March 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  29. ↑ nt386 (8 July 2019). "A Suffrage Science Award for Professor Melinda Duer". Robinson College. Retrieved 17 April 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  30. ↑ "CYCLE Pharmaceuticals, The University of Cambridge and King's College London Partner to Repurpose PARP Inhibitor Drugs for Vascular Disease". Cycle Pharmaceuticals. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  31. ↑ "Cambridge Enterprise licenses PARP inhibitor drug IP to Cycle Pharmaceuticals". Cambridge Enterprise. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  32. ↑ "CAMBRIDGE ONCOLOGY LTD - Officers (free information from Companies House)". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  33. ↑ "Cambridge-Africa Governance :: Cambridge-Africa". www.cambridge-africa.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  34. ↑ "Africa Research Excellence Fund (AREF) on LinkedIn: LMS launches scheme to mentor African female scientists". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  35. ↑ "Leading women in 'Engineering and Physical Sciences' win Suffrage Science award on the scheme's tenth anniversary". LMS London Institute of Medical Sciences. 8 March 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  36. ↑ "Dr. Mary Anti Chama Receives Suffrage Science Award". 12 March 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  37. ↑ "Suffrage Science Awards 2021: A Celebration of Women Changing Science". LMS London Institute of Medical Sciences. 10 March 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  38. ↑ "Twitter status Mar 8, 2021. MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences". Twitter. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
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