Nessa Carey | |
---|---|
Nationality | British |
Alma mater | University of Edinburgh |
Known for | The Epigenetics Revolution; Junk DNA: A Journey Through the Dark Matter of the Genome |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Epigenetics, Technology Transfer |
Institutions | Imperial College London |
Thesis | Studies on the extracellular envelope glycoprotein of maedi-visna virus. [2] |
Website | http://www.nessacarey.co.uk/ |
Nessa Carey is a British biologist working in the field of molecular biology and biotechnology. She is International Director of the technology transfer organization PraxisUnico and a visiting professor at Imperial College London.
With expertise in the field of epigenetics and in technology transfer, she promotes the movement of scientists between academia and industry, lecturing often to students and early career scientists. Carey writes books and articles for a scientifically interested general audience. She is the author of The Epigenetics Revolution [3] and Junk DNA: A Journey Through the Dark Matter of the Genome [4] which explore advances in the field of epigenetics and their implications for medicine. She edited Epigenetics for Drug Discovery [5] for the Royal Society of Chemistry's Drug Discovery Series. [6]
Carey attended state schools. [7] She first attended the University of Edinburgh to study veterinary medicine. Having limited aptitude for the course and reacting badly to animal fur she left veterinary studies. [8]
"This didn't last because I was allergic to fur, unable to think in 3D (not good for anatomy), quite bored and really rubbish at the course."
— Nessa Carey [8]
She then worked for five years in the Metropolitan Police forensic science laboratory as a forensic scientist. [8] After studying for her degree in immunology part-time, Carey decided to continue academic research and returned to the University of Edinburgh to pursue doctoral studies. Carey was awarded her Doctorate (PhD) by research thesis on the virology of the maedi-visna virus which affects sheep, in 1993. [8] [2]
Her post-doctoral research was in the field of human genetics at the Department of Anatomy, Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School after which she became a lecturer, and then senior lecturer, in molecular biology at Imperial College London, School of Medicine. [9] [10] In 2001 she left academia to work in industry although since 2013 she has been a visiting professor in the Department of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial College London [11] in conjunction with her professional career.
Carey was director of molecular biology at Vernalis from 2001 until 2004. [12] She then held positions as Head of Biology at TopoTarget from 2004 to 2006 [10] and Scientific Director at CellCentric from 2006 to May 2011. [12] From May 2011 until July 2014 she was Senior Director in External Research and Development Innovation at Pfizer [13] [10] where she focused on identifying new collaborative opportunities in the field of epigenetics. [14] She has been International Director at PraxisUnico since July 2014. [10]
Carey was a Member of the Bioscience for Industry Strategy Advisory Panel of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) [15] from 2011 to 2015; a Member of the Molecular and Cellular Medicine Board of the Medical Research Council (MRC) from 2011 to 2015 [13] and a Scientific Steering Committee member for the MRC Epigenetics workshop in 2015. [16]
Carey's expertise has expanded from biology to include communication and training. She is a Registered Technology Transfer Professional (RTTP). Her achievements include delivering training at Imperial College School of Medicine and the Royal College of Surgeons (UK and Ireland). [10] She is active in promoting movement of scientists between academia and industry and often discusses choices with early career scientists. [17] [18] [19] [20]
When opportunity comes knocking, it's best not to be in the shower ... I think of myself of someone who has had a lot of careers in science, rather than one scientific career.
— Nessa Carey [21]
Carey's books and lectures explain developments in epigenetics to a scientifically interested general audience. [22] [23] [24] Carey has published over 30 peer-reviewed papers on epigenetics and other aspects of biology. She also writes in the popular press examining popular culture and media from a scientific viewpoint. [25] [26] [27]
Her first book, The Epigenetics Revolution, [3] describes how epigenetic modifications allow the same DNA to express different characteristics; she likens DNA to a script for a play rather than a template. The same script can produce different productions of the play. [28]
She used the example of Audrey Hepburn's slight figure to explain the possible impacts of epigenetics. [28] Hepburn's figure was a result of lifelong illnesses brought on by her deprivation during the Dutch famine of 1944–45 during World War II. Carey's book says we aren't simply born with pre-set genes and the way genes function can be altered 'epigenetically' by our environments or diets. These changes can subsequently impact future generations. [28] The book discusses controversies which are a part of this rapidly developing field and explores explanations other than epigenetics for some findings. [29]
Peter Forbes of The Guardian wrote that while the book does not simplify scientific terminology for the general reader, it "is the first to set out the epigenetics stall for the general reader, and anyone seriously interested in who we are and how we function should read this book". [30] Other reviewers also found the book "a bit jargon heavy", [31] while some felt this was "not so much her fault as the nature of biology". [32] Alexander Badyaev writes that "you cannot help but admire the author who is so fluent in such a great diversity of topics". [33]
Carey's second book, Junk DNA: A Journey Through the Dark Matter of the Genome, [4] examines developments in the study of junk DNA, or noncoding DNA. DNA that doesn't code for proteins has been dismissed as nonfunctional until recently. She explains the "most fundamental reason for the shift in emphasis is the sheer volume of junk DNA that our cells contain. One of the biggest shocks when the human genome sequence was completed in 2001 was the discovery that over 98 per cent of the DNA in a human is junk. It doesn't code for any proteins." [4] : 2 Carey describes how this Junk DNA
maintains the integrity of our chromosomes; regulates the ways the protein-coding genes are expressed; influences how we age and generally introduces incredible degrees of subtlety and flexibility into how we use the relatively small numbers of genes that code for proteins ... [and] contributes to all sorts of situations, from the correct control of gene expression in female cells to the regulation of pathways that drive cancer. From Ernest Hemingway's mutant cat to exoneration of the innocent through DNA fingerprinting, junk DNA impacts on an astonishing range of biological phenomena. [34]
The book uses analogy to explain molecular phenomena. Although there is some criticism that the book's coverage is "too comprehensive for the general reader" and "lacks an overarching, compelling narrative to carry readers through", reviewer Linda Geddes called it "a cutting-edge, exhaustive guide to the rapidly changing, ever-more mysterious genome." [35] It is recommended for "any nonspecialist who would like a captivating, thorough, and up-to-date introduction...[to] the bigger picture of our wonderful and messy genome." [36]
Carey describes the controversy and politics around this field: "At one extreme we have scientists claiming experimental proof is lacking to support sometimes sweeping claims. At the other are those who feel there is a whole generation of scientists (if not more) trapped in an outdated model and unable to see or understand the new order." [4] : 6 While some reviewers have criticised her style, a few also attack her science. [37]
Edited by Carey, Epigenetics for Drug Discovery, [5] is "written by the leading researchers in this field. It is intended as a guide for medicinal chemists or scientists in other fields wishing to know more." [38] This book examines the field of epigenetics, its possible applications to medicine and the challenges in using the research safely and efficaciously. [39] It includes for example: a chapter by Karl P. Nightingale which defines epigenetics and explains why it matters; [40] a chapter by Tom D. Heightman and Michael McCullar which focuses "on the biochemical mechanisms controlling DNA methylation, consequences of aberrant DNA methylation in complex chronic diseases, existing modulators of DNA methylation used in the clinic, and opportunities for new drugs targeting this central epigenetic mechanism" [41] and a chapter titled "Progress in Targeting Epigenetic Readers" by Chun-Wa Chung. [42]
This book is part of the Royal Society of Chemistry's Drug Discovery Series [6] which includes over fifty volumes published since 2010 in the fields of drug discovery and medicinal chemistry. "Providing comprehensive coverage of this important and far-reaching area, the books encourage learning in a range of different topics and provide valuable reference for scientists working outside their own areas of expertise." [6]
This book discusses a new technique for genetic modification called CRISPR. This system allows the scientists to precisely and easily manipulate the genes of any living organism in a short period of time. The book further discusses the ethical limitations in the implementation of these methods on human beings. Carey gives a snapshot of the technology that is possibly going to change the future of gene editing. [43]
James Dewey Watson is an American molecular biologist, geneticist, and zoologist. In 1953, he co-authored with Francis Crick the academic paper in Nature proposing the double helix structure of the DNA molecule. Watson, Crick and Maurice Wilkins were awarded the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine "for their discoveries concerning the molecular structure of nucleic acids and its significance for information transfer in living material".
Genomics is an interdisciplinary field of molecular biology focusing on the structure, function, evolution, mapping, and editing of genomes. A genome is an organism's complete set of DNA, including all of its genes as well as its hierarchical, three-dimensional structural configuration. In contrast to genetics, which refers to the study of individual genes and their roles in inheritance, genomics aims at the collective characterization and quantification of all of an organism's genes, their interrelations and influence on the organism. Genes may direct the production of proteins with the assistance of enzymes and messenger molecules. In turn, proteins make up body structures such as organs and tissues as well as control chemical reactions and carry signals between cells. Genomics also involves the sequencing and analysis of genomes through uses of high throughput DNA sequencing and bioinformatics to assemble and analyze the function and structure of entire genomes. Advances in genomics have triggered a revolution in discovery-based research and systems biology to facilitate understanding of even the most complex biological systems such as the brain.
Michael Smith was a British-born Canadian biochemist and businessman. He shared the 1993 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Kary Mullis for his work in developing site-directed mutagenesis. Following a PhD in 1956 from the University of Manchester, he undertook postdoctoral research with Har Gobind Khorana at the British Columbia Research Council in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Subsequently, Smith worked at the Fisheries Research Board of Canada Laboratory in Vancouver before being appointed a professor of biochemistry in the UBC Faculty of Medicine in 1966. Smith's career included roles as the founding director of the UBC Biotechnology Laboratory and the founding scientific leader of the Protein Engineering Network of Centres of Excellence (PENCE). In 1996 he was named Peter Wall Distinguished Professor of Biotechnology. Subsequently, he became the founding director of the Genome Sequencing Centre at the BC Cancer Research Centre.
Leroy "Lee" Edward Hood is an American biologist who has served on the faculties at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the University of Washington. Hood has developed ground-breaking scientific instruments which made possible major advances in the biological sciences and the medical sciences. These include the first gas phase protein sequencer (1982), for determining the sequence of amino acids in a given protein; a DNA synthesizer (1983), to synthesize short sections of DNA; a peptide synthesizer (1984), to combine amino acids into longer peptides and short proteins; the first automated DNA sequencer (1986), to identify the order of nucleotides in DNA; ink-jet oligonucleotide technology for synthesizing DNA and nanostring technology for analyzing single molecules of DNA and RNA.
Molecular genetics is a branch of biology that addresses how differences in the structures or expression of DNA molecules manifests as variation among organisms. Molecular genetics often applies an "investigative approach" to determine the structure and/or function of genes in an organism's genome using genetic screens.
The Medical Research Council (MRC) is responsible for co-coordinating and funding medical research in the United Kingdom. It is part of United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI), which came into operation 1 April 2018, and brings together the UK's seven research councils, Innovate UK and Research England. UK Research and Innovation is answerable to, although politically independent from, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Arthur Dale Riggs was an American geneticist who worked with Genentech to express the first artificial gene in bacteria. His work was critical to the modern biotechnology industry because it was the first use of molecular techniques in commercial production of drugs and enabled the large-scale manufacturing of protein drugs, including insulin. He was also a major factor in the origin of epigenetics.
The Cancer Research UK London Research Institute (LRI) was a biological research facility which conducted research into the basic biology of cancer.
Maxine Frank Singer was an American molecular biologist and science administrator. She was known for her contributions to solving the genetic code, her role in the ethical and regulatory debates on recombinant DNA techniques, and her leadership of Carnegie Institution of Washington.
Sir Adrian Peter Bird is a British geneticist and Buchanan Professor of Genetics at the University of Edinburgh. Bird has spent much of his academic career in Edinburgh, from receiving his PhD in 1970 to working at the MRC Mammalian Genome Unit and later serving as director of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology. His research focuses on understanding DNA methylation and CpG islands, and their role in diseases such as Rett syndrome.
Ming-Ming Zhou is an American scientist whose specification is structural and chemical biology, NMR spectroscopy, and drug design. He is the Dr. Harold and Golden Lamport Professor and Chairman of the Department of Pharmacological Sciences. He is also the co-director of the Drug Discovery Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Mount Sinai Health System in New York City, as well as Professor of Sciences. Zhou is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Jennifer Anne Doudna is an American biochemist who has pioneered work in CRISPR gene editing, and made other fundamental contributions in biochemistry and genetics. She received the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, with Emmanuelle Charpentier, "for the development of a method for genome editing." She is the Li Ka Shing Chancellor's Chair Professor in the department of chemistry and the department of molecular and cell biology at the University of California, Berkeley. She has been an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute since 1997.
The International Human Epigenome Consortium (IHEC) is a scientific organization, founded in 2010, that helps to coordinate global efforts in the field of Epigenomics. The initial goal was to generate at least 1,000 reference (baseline) human epigenomes from different types of normal and disease-related human cell types.
Dame Amanda Gay Fisher is a British cell biologist and Director of the Medical Research Council (MRC) London Institute of Medical Sciences at the Hammersmith Hospital campus of Imperial College London, where she is also a Professor leading the Institute of Clinical Sciences. She has made contributions to multiple areas of cell biology, including determining the function of several genes in HIV and describing the importance of a gene's location within the cell nucleus.
Emmanuelle Marie Charpentier is a French professor and researcher in microbiology, genetics, and biochemistry. As of 2015, she has been a director at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin. In 2018, she founded an independent research institute, the Max Planck Unit for the Science of Pathogens. In 2020, Charpentier and American biochemist Jennifer Doudna of the University of California, Berkeley, were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry "for the development of a method for genome editing". This was the first science Nobel Prize ever won by two women only.
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Gregory L. Verdine is an American chemical biologist, biotech entrepreneur, venture capitalist and university professor. He is a founder of the field of chemical biology, which deals with the application of chemical techniques to biological systems. His work has focused on mechanisms of DNA repair and cell penetrability.
Ana Pombo is an appointed Professor (W3) of Biology at Humboldt University and senior group leader at the Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB) at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in Berlin-Buch with the focus on "Epigenetic Regulation and Chromatin Architecture". Since May 2018, Pombo is an elected member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO).
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