Professor Maria Leptin, developmental biologist and President of the European Research Council, was welcomed to Darwin last night as the College’s newest Honorary Fellow. Professor Leptin was sworn in by the Master, Dr Mike Rands, following a ceremony in the Senate House at which she was honoured by the University, which conferred on her an Honorary Doctorate in Medical Science.
Professor Leptin currently holds one of the most important and visible positions in European science. Before taking up the Directorship of the ERC in 2021, she spent 11 years as Director of the European Molecular Biology Organisation, strengthening cooperation among molecular biologists across Europe.
Professor Leptin studied Mathematics and Biology at the University of Bonn and the University of Heidelberg, before completing her PhD at the Basel Institute for Immunology. She then moved to Cambridge, where from 1984-87 she worked, first as a post-doctoral Fellow and latterly as a staff scientist, at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology. In 1994 she was appointed as a Professor of Genetics at the University of Cologne.
Mike Rands said:
“Maria has a stellar record of scientific work in the life sciences, and her international status has been recognised by several bodies, including being a Foreign Member of the Royal Society. We are delighted that she has accepted the offer of an Honorary Fellowship and look forward to having her amongst our most distinguished members.”
Also recognised with an honorary degree in yesterday’s ceremony was Olympic rower and the first woman to be appointed as Chair of the British Olympic Association Dame Katherine Grainger. Dame Katherine contributed to the 2015 Darwin College Lecture Series on ‘Development’, sharing her insights on the ‘Development of an Athlete’.