Professor Dame Kay Davies CBE

Winner of the 2014 WISE Lifetime Achievement Award

13 November 2014

Professor Dame Kay Davies CBE, Dr Lee's Professor of Anatomy, University of Oxford and Deputy Chair of the Wellcome Trust

Honorary Director of the Medical Research Council Functional Genomics Unit, Deputy Head of the Board of Governors of the Wellcome Trust and Fellow of the Royal Society, Kay’s research centres around the molecular analysis of neuromuscular and neurological disease, particularly Duchenne muscular dystrophy. She was responsible for the development of a test which is now used world-wide to screen women at high risk of having a child with the disease.

In her own words, “Science is an exciting and fascinating field to work in. It needs diversity of talent to provide diversity of thinking.”

Her nomination includes testimonials of visionary leadership and commitment to nurturing researchers at all career stages: “She always took a genuine interest in your home and personal life, making sure this was not negatively influenced by the pressures of developing a scientific career.”