Phyllis Clinch

Dr Phyllis E. M. Clinch
Born 12 September 1901
Dublin, Ireland
Died 19 October 1984
Teneriffe, Canary Islands
Nationality Irish
Known for Plant viruses

Phyllis E. M. Clinch (12 September 1901 – 19 October 1984) was an Irish botanist most recognised for her work in the field of plant viruses.[1]

Dr Clinch attained her undergraduate degree from University College Dublin in 1923 with a first class honours in botany and chemistry. She was then awarded a scholarship and continued to study at University College Dublin obtaining a Masters in 1924.[1] She went on to study a PhD in plant physiology at Imperial College London specializing in the biochemistry of Coniferales.[1] After graduating from her PhD in 1928 she became assistant to the professor of biology at University College, Galway.[1] In 1929 she became a Research Assistant for the investigation of Plant Virus Diseases, Department of Plant Pathology, University College, Dublin.[1] In 1949 she transferred to the Botany Department, the following year was appointed as a lecturer in Botany.[1]

Notable work

Dr Clinch is most recognised for her work on degenerative diseases in potato plants. She identified symptomless viruses and viruses that damaged potato stocks.[2][3][4] The department of agriculture used this knowledge to develop virus free stocks of potatoes.[1] She also carried out work on viruses affecting tomato and sugar beet crops.[5]

Awards

She was one of the first four women elected to membership of the Royal Irish Academy (RIA) in 1949.[1] She was awarded the Boyle Medal in 1961.[1] She was the first woman to have received this award.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Royal Dublin Society listing for Phyllis Clinch". Royal Irish Academy.
  2. ↑ Clinch, Phyllis (January 1932). "Cytological studies of potato plants affected with certain virus diseases". The Scientific proceedings of the Royal Dublin Society XX: 143–172.
  3. ↑ Clinch, Phyllis (August 1944). "Observations on a severe strain of potato virus X". The Scientific proceedings of the Royal Dublin Society. XXIII: 273–299.
  4. ↑ Clinch, Phyllis (December 1941). "A strain of the tuber blotch virus causing top necrosis in potato". The Scientific proceedings of the Royal Dublin Society XXII: 435–445.
  5. ↑ Clinch, Phyllis (March 1941). "Virus diseases of tomato". Department of Agriculture. XXXVIII: 24–47.
  6. ↑ "University College Dublin article on Pioneering Women Professors". UCD.
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