| Authorised form of name | Clarke; Patricia Hannah (1919 - 2010); microbial biochemist |
| Dates | 1919 - 2010 |
| Nationality | British |
| Place of birth | 43 Mackintosh Road, The Common, Pontypridd, Glamorgan, Wales |
| Date of birth | 29 July 1919 |
| Place of death | University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, Wales |
| Date of death | 28 January 2010 |
| DatesAndPlaces | Funeral: Briwnant Chapel, Thornhill crematorium, Cardiff, Wales (15 February 2010) |
| Occupation | Microbial biochemist |
| Research field | Biochemistry |
| Biotechnology |
| Activity | Education:
Coedpenmaen girls' elementary school, Pontypridd; Howell's School, Llandaff, Cardiff; Girton College, Cambridge (1940)
Career:
Joined the war effort as a chemist at the armaments research department of the Ministry of Supply in Swansea and Royal Arsenal, Woolwich (1940-1943); part of research team at the Wellcome Physiology Research Laboratory in Beckenham, Kent, studying toxins of Clostridium oedematiens, anaerobic bacterium causing gangrene; stay at home mother (1949-51); part-time worker at the National Collection of Type Cultures, Public Health Laboratory Service, Colindale, London, working alongside S. T. Cowan developing micro methods to identify bacteria based on enzyme reactions (1952-54); assistant lecturer in the biochemistry department of University College, London (1954); promoted to lecturer (1956); reader (1966) and ultimtely professor of microbial biochemistry (1974); remaining there until retirement (1984); died from bronchopneumonia and cerebrovascular disease. |
| Membership category | Fellow |
| Date of election | 18/03/1976 |
| Age at election | 56 |
| RSActivity | Royal Society roles:
Council: 1980-1982; VP 1980-1982
Lectures:
Leeuwenhoek 1979 |
| Relationships | Parents: David Samuel Green (1891–1957), marine store dealer, and Daisy Lilian Amy, née Willoughby (1889–1970).
Spouse: Michael Clarke (1919–2005) (m.1944).
Children: Two sons, Francis and David.
Grandchldren: Oliver. |
| PublishedWorks | RCN 42109
RCN 8494 |
| OtherInfo | Distinguished for her work on the biochemistry and genetics of bacteria, especially on the induction, repression and substrate specificity of the acyl amidase of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Her early work successfully refined and extended tests for bacterial enzymes and toxins for taxonomic purposes.
Active member of the committee which organised a Royal Society conference in May 1993 on women in science, engineering, and technology, in which over 150 women scientists participating.
She was a keen gardener and collector of plants. |
| Royal Society Obituary or Memoir | Click to view (may be contained within a meeting notice, presidential address or list of death notices) |
| Related images | Discover a selection of related images in our picture library |
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| Source | AssocMaterial:
NCUACS 120/6/03. Papers deposited in Special Collections, University College, London |
| Virtual International Authority File | http://viaf.org/viaf/92408531 |
| Code | NA859 |