Lady Julia Gwynaeth Bodmer (born Julia Pilkington; 31 July 1934 – 29 January 2001) was a British geneticist and trained economist. Involved in the discovery and definition of the

human leukocyte antigen The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system or complex is a complex of genes on chromosome 6 in humans which encode cell-surface proteins responsible for the regulation of the immune system. The HLA system is also known as the human version of th ...

(HLA) system of genetic markers, Bodmer became one of the world's leading experts in HLA serology and the genetic definition of the HLA system. A prominent figure in the field of

immunogenetics Immunogenetics or immungenetics is the branch of Medical Immunology and Medical Genetics that explores the relationship between the immune system and genetics. Autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes, are complex genetic traits which result ...

, her discoveries helped the understanding and development of knowledge about HLA associations with diseases including

acquired immunodeficiency syndrome Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ma ...

(AIDS) and cancer. As well as being a distinguished scientist in her own right, she collaborated throughout her career with her husband, the human and cancer geneticist Sir Walter Bodmer. The couple had three children.

Early life and education

Born Julia Pilkington in Manchester, she was educated at

Manchester High School for Girls Manchester High School for Girls is an English independent day school for girls and a member of the Girls School Association. It is situated in Fallowfield, Manchester. The head mistress is Helen Jeys who took up the position in September 2020 ...

where she became head prefect. She won a state scholarship to

Lady Margaret Hall Lady Margaret Hall (LMH) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, located on the banks of the River Cherwell at Norham Gardens in north Oxford and adjacent to the University Parks. The college is more formall ...

to read philosophy, politics and economics (PPE), specialising in economics and statistics.Royal College of Physicians Munk's Roll
"Lady Julia Gwynaeth Bodmer"
Retrieved 16 October 2012 She met her future husband Walter Bodmer while they were both still at school and they married after graduation in 1956, after which she moved to Cambridge while he completed his doctorate.

Career

From 1956-59, Bodmer held a position as statistical assistant to the economist W. B. Reddaway at the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

. She then moved to Stanford with her husband and three young children in 1960, where she worked initially as a research assistant in the laboratory of the

haematologist Hematology ( always spelled haematology in British English) is the branch of medicine concerned with the study of the cause, prognosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases related to blood. It involves treating diseases that affect the produc ...

Dr. Rose Payne, and later in her husband's laboratory. With a strong statistical background and the ability to manage large and complex collections of data, Julia now moved to the field of HLA serology, collaborating with her husband and Payne. During this time, she worked on tissue typing and laid the basis for one of the first two genes of the HLA system. In 1970, the family returned to England and Sir Walter took up the Chair of Genetics at

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

. Julia was appointed Research Officer in the Genetics Laboratory where she continued with her work on HLA disease associations and the population distribution of the HLA types. She was responsible for highlighting the association between HLA type and juvenile

rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term autoimmune disorder that primarily affects joints. It typically results in warm, swollen, and painful joints. Pain and stiffness often worsen following rest. Most commonly, the wrist and hands are involv ...

and

ankylosing spondylitis Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a type of arthritis characterized by long-term inflammation of the joints of the spine typically where the spine joins the pelvis. Occasionally areas affected may include other joints such as the shoulders or hip ...

in women, and helped establish the immunological basis of these diseases. In 1979, the Bodmers moved to the

Imperial Cancer Research Fund Cancer Research UK (CRUK) is the world's largest independent cancer research organization. It is registered as a charity in the United Kingdom and Isle of Man, and was formed on 4 February 2002 by the merger of The Cancer Research Campaign and t ...

(ICRF) in London, where Sir Walter became Director. Julia had now established an international reputation, and now a professor she headed the Tissue Antigen Laboratory at the ICRF. During this period she was able to extend her work, making significant contributions to the genetics of

Hodgkin's disease Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a type of lymphoma, in which cancer originates from a specific type of white blood cell called lymphocytes, where multinucleated Reed–Sternberg cells (RS cells) are present in the patient's lymph nodes. The condition wa ...

Burkitt's lymphoma Burkitt lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system, particularly B lymphocytes found in the germinal center. It is named after Denis Parsons Burkitt, the Irish surgeon who first described the disease in 1958 while working in equatorial Africa. ...

and

testicular cancer Testicular cancer is cancer that develops in the testicles, a part of the male reproductive system. Symptoms may include a lump in the testicle, or swelling or pain in the scrotum. Treatment may result in infertility. Risk factors include an u ...

. As a consequence of her work at the ICRF she was able to contribute to the identification of the first testicular cancer susceptibility gene. Upon retirement from the ICRF she returned to Oxford where her husband took up the appointment of Principal of

Hertford College Hertford College ( ), previously known as Magdalen Hall, is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. It is located on Catte Street in the centre of Oxford, directly opposite the main gate to the Bodleian Library. The colleg ...

. The Bodmers jointly founded a new laboratory at the Institute of

Molecular Medicine Molecular medicine is a broad field, where physical, chemical, biological, bioinformatics and medical techniques are used to describe molecular structures and mechanisms, identify fundamental molecular and genetic errors of disease, and to develop ...

where they worked on

genetic variation Genetic variation is the difference in DNA among individuals or the differences between populations. The multiple sources of genetic variation include mutation and genetic recombination. Mutations are the ultimate sources of genetic variation, ...

in human populations. Among her many professional activities, Bodmer served on various committees, including Chair (1992) of the Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Group of which she was a founder, and Secretary then President (1996–97) of the European Foundation for Immunogenetics (EFI). She also played an active role in the

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of h ...

(WHO) Nomenclature Committee. She also spent time encouraging and welcoming new scientists to the field of Immunogenetics in her labs both in London at the ICRF, and later in Oxford.

References

External links

Catalogue of the archive of Sir Walter Bodmer and Lady Julia Bodmer held at the Bodleian Library, University of Oxford
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bodmer, Julia 1934 births 2001 deaths British geneticists British women geneticists Alumni of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford British women scientists