Professor Dame Anne McLaren DBE FRS
1927-2007
L’Oréal-UNESCO Award Laureate 2001
Member of UK National Commission for UNESCO Natural Sciences Committee

Anne McLaren, one of the pioneers in reproductive biology, died this weekend aged 80. A member of the UK National Commission for UNESCO’s Natural Sciences Committee and a jury panel member for the L’Oreal UK Fellowships For Women In Science in partnership with the UK National Commission for UNESCO and the Royal Institution of Great Britain, she was actively engaged in the National Commission’s work, especially in supporting and promoting women in science.

Anne McLaren was a leading authority on mammalian genetics and was still active in research at the Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Institute in Cambridge and the wider scientific community in her eightieth year. In 1991 Anne McLaren became the first woman to be appointed Foreign Secretary of the Royal Society before she went on to become the third woman to serve as President of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. Recently President of the Association of Women in Science and Engineering, in 2001 Anne McLaren was honoured with the L’Oreal-UNESCO Award For Women In Science for her discoveries in reproductive biology which have paved the way to human assisted reproduction. The award was amongst the many other national and international awards and honours she received in recognition of her work and commitment during her lifetime.

Anne McLaren was a highly respected and admired member of the UK National Commission for UNESCO who will be greatly missed; her brilliance, dedication and passion will remain an inspiration to us.