Jenny Morton

FRSB
Born
Anne Jennifer Morton

Kaikohe, New Zealand
NationalityNew Zealand
Alma mater
Scientific career
Fields
InstitutionsNewnham College, Cambridge

Anne Jennifer Morton, FRSB, known as Jenny Morton, is a New Zealand neurobiologist and academic, specialising in neurodegenerative diseases. She has been a Fellow of Newnham College, Cambridge, since 1991 and a Professor of Neurobiology at the University of Cambridge since 2009. Her current research is focused on Huntington's disease, and she is using sheep as a large animal model for the disease. This research has led her to discover that sheep can recognise human faces.

Early life and education

Morton was born in Kaikohe, New Zealand,[1] and was raised in the country's Far North District.[2] She undertook doctoral research in physiology at the University of Otago, completing her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in 1983.[3][4] On 21 February 2009, the University of Cambridge admitted her to Master of Arts (MA Cantab) status.[5] She was awarded a Doctor of Science (ScD) degree by the University of Cambridge in 2014.[3]

Academic career

Having completed her doctorate, Morton moved to England to join the Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge as a post-doctoral fellow.[3] In 1991, she was appointed a lecturer at the university and elected a Fellow of Newnham College, Cambridge.[3] Since 1995, she has been the director of studies in medicine and veterinary medicine at Newnham College.[3][6] In 2005, she was made a Reader in Experimental Neurobiology in the Department of Pharmacology.[7] In 2009, she was appointed Professor of Neurobiology in the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience.[8] She is the first New Zealand woman to be appointed to a professorship at Cambridge.[9] From October 2009 to September 2010, she held a Royal Society Leverhulme Trust Senior Research Fellowship.[10] In 2015, she was the Visiting Seelye Fellow at the University of Auckland.[2][11]

Research

Morton's current research focuses on "understanding the mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration and on developing strategies to delay or prevent the death of neurones in injured or degenerating brain".[12] She has specialised in Huntington's disease since 1993.[3][2] Having undertaken research into Huntington's using transgenic mice, she moved into using transgenic sheep as a large animal model of Huntington's disease.[10][11]

Morton's research with sheep has also led to an interest in measuring their learning and memory.[6] Her team have been able to teach sheep to choose a familiar face over unfamiliar one when presented with two photographs, which has led to the discovery that sheep can recognise human faces.[13][14]

Honours

Morton is an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology (FRSB).[3]

Selected works

References

  1. ↑ Pellegrino, Nicky (22 October 2015). "Raising the Baa". Noted. Auckland. Archived from the original on 12 November 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 "Cambridge Professor Jenny Morton visits our Centre". Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences. The University of Auckland. 28 September 2015. Archived from the original on 25 January 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Professor Jenny Morton". Newnham College. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  4. ↑ "A Jennifer Morton". Loop. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  5. ↑ "Graces". Cambridge University Reporter. CXXXIX (21). 18 February 2009. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  6. 1 2 "Professor Jenny Morton". Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience. University of Cambridge. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  7. ↑ "Appointments". Cambridge University Reporter. CXXXVI (5). 2 November 2005. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  8. ↑ "OFFICERS IN INSTITUTIONS PLACED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE GENERAL BOARD – PROFESSORS". Cambridge University Reporter. CXLVII (Special No 4): 11. 23 December 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  9. ↑ "Visiting Seelye Fellow Professor Jenny Morton Public Lecture:An incredible journey – From Kaikohe to Cambridge". Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences. University of Auckland. 16 September 2015. Archived from the original on 23 February 2018. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  10. 1 2 "Jenny Morton". The Royal Society. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  11. 1 2 "Jenny Morton: brains and sheep". Radio New Zealand. 19 September 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  12. ↑ "Professor Jenny Morton". Cambridge Neuroscience. University of Cambridge. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  13. ↑ "Sheep are able to recognise human faces from photographs". University of Cambridge. 8 November 2017. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  14. ↑ Rincon, Paul (8 November 2017). "Sheep 'can recognise human faces'". BBC News. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
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