Princess Anne to visit leading researchers in York
Posted on 10 April 2000
The Biology department at York is one of Britain's largest and most prestigious university research departments. It has the highest ratings for both teaching and research and was recently awarded over £20 million by the Joint Infrastructure Fund for a major redevelopment of its research facilities.
The Princess Royal will meet Dr Ottoline Leyser, Dr Simon McQueen-Mason and Dr Dawn Worrall to hear about their work in the plant laboratory. Their research includes the manufacture of a new water-resistant glue, derived from mussels, which could be used in dentistry and other medical applications, and a newly-discovered 'anti-freeze' protein found in carrots, which could be used in the future in frozen foods, crop protection in the frost and the freezing of organs before transplant.
Dr Julian White will tell the Princess about work to encourage spin-off companies from the University's biological research. The 'Bioincubator' gives vital support to such businesses in their early stages.
Professor Norman Maitland will outline the work of the Cancer Research Unit, which has recently made a dramatic breakthrough in the study of cervical cancer. His team have discovered the structure of a protein that controls the papillomavirus - the principal cause of cervical cancer. This discovery should eventually enable antiviral drugs to be designed specifically to control the cancer-causing segment of the protein. The Princess will also meet Dr Brenda Jackson of Yorkshire Cancer Research, who fund work in the Unit.
Notes to editors:
- Members of the press are welcome to attend the visit. Please contact Sarah Mitchell on 01904 432029 in advance for a press pass. Visiting press should meet Sue Coffey and Sarah Mitchell at the main entrance to the Biology department at 13.50 when they will be taken to the foyer where the Princess Royal will be introduced to staff and students. There will be opportunities to interview researchers and film or photograph laboratories in the Plant Laboratory and in the Cancer Research Unit.
- The department of biology scored 24 out of 24 in their official Subject Review (formerly known as Teaching Quality Assessment) in March 2000.
- The department has a research rating of '5', signifying work of international standard across the board.
- The multi-million pound award from the Joint Infrastructure Fund is for new buildings, new equipment and substantial refurbishment of the department. These new facilities will support the programmes of all York's biology research teams, whose work includes plant biology, ecology, cancer research and other biomedical research.