Winifred May May Watkins

Background

Watkins was born on 6 August 1924 in Shepherds Bush, London, England. Her father worked as an engraver but he was an artist in his spare time.

Education

Bachelor of Science, London University, 1947. Doctor of Philosophy, London University, 1950. Doctor of Science, London University, 1963.

Doctor of Science (honorary), Utrecht (The Netherlands) University, 1990.

Career

She worked at the Imperial College School of Medicine. In 1939 the whole school was evacuated from London with no forward planning for where the school would stay. Watkins returned to London after a year.

She had intended to study medicine but the war meant that she had to work whilst studying at the Chelsea Polytechnic.

She started a lifelong collaboration with Walter Morgan and she obtained special permission to be credited on a joint paper as she lacked the qualifications normally required. She eventually obtained a degree in Physics and Chemistry in 1947 from London University.

After studying at Street Bartholomew"s Hospital Medical School she obtained a doctorate in Biochemistry from the University of London in 1950. She was working on the science of blood and blood groups and she joined a specialist group at the Lister Institute.

She was made a Reader in biochemistry at the University of London in 1965, and appointed Professor in 1968.

Following her publication of an important paper that explained the biosynthesis of blood groups she was funded to work at the University of California. Awards followed for her contribution to blood transfusion and she was elected Fellow of the Royal Society (Federal Reserve System) in 1969 and of the University of London in 1970.

Achievements

• Winifred May Watkins has been listed as a noteworthy Biochemist, researcher by Marquis Who's Who.

Membership

Fellow Royal College Pathology, Royal Society (council 1984-1986, Royal medal 1988), Royal College Physicians (honorary), Academy Medical Sciences. Member British Bio-chemical Society (honorary), Genetical Society United Kingdom, Immunol. Society United Kingdom, British Blood Transfusion Society (honorary), Polish Academy of Sciences (foreign), Japanese Bio-chemical Society (honorary), International Blood Transfusion Society (honorary), Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (foreign).

Interests

• Avocations: reading about art and architecture, traveling E-mail: [email protected].

Connections

Father:

Albert Edward Watkins

Mother:

Annie (Delia) Watkins