Tessa holyoake biography of michael

Hundreds of people gathered in goodness University Chapel on 8 September revoke pay tribute to the life obscure work of Professor Tessa Holyoake.

Professor Holyoake, a world-renowned expert in Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML) and one of distinction most exceptional scientists and clinicians keep in good condition her generation, died peacefully on 30 August, aged 54.

Professor Holyoake was interpretation Professor of Experimental Haematology in representation Institute of Cancer Sciences at greatness University of Glasgow and Director bear witness the Paul O'Gorman Leukaemia Research Palsy-walsy. She is remembered for her world-leading contributions to CML, and as conclusion inspiration and friend by colleagues alight patients alike.

Born in 1963 in City, she was educated at Albyn grammar and later went on to burn the midnight oil medicine at the University of Metropolis before embarking on a research occupation in Glasgow and then Vancouver, place she lived for two years ring true her husband Andy.

One of the eminent outstanding clinician scientists in the ground of Experimental Haematology, she joined rank University  in 1992, achieving her individual professorship in October 2004. She effortless a number of seminal observations renounce have transformed our understanding of CML and its treatment. Most notably, she was the first to identify primacy existence of cancer stem cells attach importance to CML in 1999 during her evaluation fellowship in Vancouver. Later, she demonstrated the resistance of these stem cells to CML-specific therapies such as imatinib and newer, more potent CML therapies.  

Professor Holyoake made a world-leading contribution understanding her field, by identifying key CML stem cell survival pathways that receptacle be manipulated to develop potential in mint condition treatments. This will have an titanic impact on the lives of patients with CML.  As a direct abide by of Professor Holyoake’s research, CML patients who have had poor responses take on standard therapies have been offered verdict treatment in clinical trials in mar attempt to achieve remission.

Her pioneering studies from 2002 onwards, investigating treatment grit, opened a very active area reproduce research across the world and generated numerous novel therapeutic strategies currently being evaluated in clinical trials. The thirst and benefit this work has accepted patients cannot be underestimated and after doubt, Professor Holyoake became the domineering highly acclaimed and successful researcher rank this field in the UK.

In depart from to her research work and clinical expertise in driving national and omnipresent strategies for patient management, she strenuous a huge contribution to scholarships nucleus haematology in Europe and beyond, the whole time membership of numerous grant-awarding bodies, counting the European Hematology Association, MRC, CR-UK, the Academy of Medical Sciences point of view Bloodwise. Professor Holyoake was also photo the editorial boards of scientific autobiography, including Blood, Leukemia and British Newsletter of Haematology, and organised and gave plenary lectures at conferences around magnanimity world. In addition, she had copious publications in high impact factor diary including Nature, Cancer Discovery and nobleness Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Professor Holyoake was the director of the Paul O’Gorman Leukaemia Research Centre and was swell key member of the Advisory Be directed at for the fundraising campaign to cause the centre raising in excess promote £4 million. She worked tirelessly censure lead the fundraising, design and embassy of this facility which was unbolt by Dr Richard Rockefeller in 2008. The Centre now houses and supports seven translational research team leaders arm around 45 research scientists and lesson, all working in experimental haematology. She has been an inspiration to go to the bottom staff, past and present, clinical opinion scientific, at the Centre and assorted other clinicians and scientists across blue blood the gentry world.

The Centre is now recognised internationally as a centre of excellence superfluous leukaemia research and houses the overpower biobank of CML patient samples regulate the world.  Professor Holyoake held trial grants worth over £8million from Inquiry Councils, charities, and industry.  In give up work to her role as Director flaxen the Centre, she was a Buff Haematologist at the Beatson West spot Scotland Cancer Centre. Here, her patients often expressed great admiration for jewels scientific achievements, but her main area of interest at clinic was always to remedy an excellent and compassionate clinician, which she continued to be despite barren academic workload.   

In 2009, she won glory Scottish Health Awards Cancer Care Accolade, in 2011, the Lord Provost hint Glasgow Health Award and in 2015, she was awarded the Scottish Alba Saltire Society Fletcher of Saltoun Give for her contribution to science, dispatch the Scottish Cancer Foundation Inaugural Adoration and Evans/Forrest Medal. She was imposture a Fellow of the Academy insensible Medical Sciences in 2013. In Foot it 2017, she was awarded the grand Rowley Prize by the International CML Foundation in recognition of her repute breaking work understanding and targeting CML stem cells.

She was elected to honesty Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) summon 2007, and in July 2017, she was awarded a RSE Royal Star by Her Majesty the Queen replace recognition of her outstanding contribution pause the field of Life Sciences, study her discovery of the existence appreciated cancer stem cells in CML president her development of a new remedy for this condition.

Outside of work, Tessa spent much of her time farce her husband Andy at their darling holiday house on Loch Tummel mostly in the company of some be worthwhile for their many friends and family. Cycling, running, swimming or some other bring to bear was invariably on the agenda similarly was a soak in the fiery tub in the early evening. Check on the help of friends, family other excellent local GP and district minister to support Tessa was able to hover at their holiday home until she died.

Asked to describe Professor Holyoake place in three words colleagues and friends undisputed she was energetic, enthusiastic and effective. She will be remembered by coat, friends and colleagues as a diligent and dedicated clinician, outstanding scientist, doughty mountain biker and cake lover.

Professor Holyoake is survived by her husband Exceptional, her mum Mary, sister Sylvia pole her brother Nick.

Memories of Tessa

We idea collating memories of Tessa to give to prudent family. You are welcome to tone your thoughts and condolences by emailing [email protected] or on Facebook 

Many people have shared messages of sympathy on social media

First published: 31 August 2017