Professor Barbara Mawer

1936-2006

Guardian Obituary

Barbara Mawer, Emeritus Professor of Bone and Mineral Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of Manchester, UK, died in the Christie Hospital, Manchester on March 7 2006, aged 70 after a brave battle with liver cancer. Well regarded for her original contributions to human vitamin D metabolism, Barbara was an influential figure in the calcium homeostasis field in the UK. She was an outstanding Secretary, then President (1992 - 94) of the Bone and Tooth Society.

Born Elizabeth Barbara Entwistle on March 6 1936 in Blackburn, Lancashire, Barbara attended Blackburn High School and Queen Mary's School, Lytham. She graduated from Edinburgh University with a BSc degree in biochemistry in 1957 and stayed on for postgraduate studies under the supervision of Professor Guy Marrian, for which she was awarded a PhD (‘The Metabolism of Cholesterol in the Animal Body’) in 1961.

After a period as an Assistant Lecturer in Biochemistry at Edinburgh University (1958-1963) and a short break to care for her young children, in 1967 she joined the University of Manchester as a Research Associate to pursue research into vitamin D metabolism and metabolic bone disease with Professor William Stanbury. They were among the first clinical researchers to show that patients with renal disease were unable to make 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D and were thus unable to absorb calcium from the gut. Another very original and important contribution was to show that the enterohepatic recirculation of vitamin D had been overplayed and that secondary (or primary) hyperparathyroidism led to over-consumption of the vitamin D precursors to 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D and the excretion in the bile of the hydroxylated waste products. Further work led to the development of clinical assays for the measurement of vitamin D metabolites and Barbara’s laboratory became renowned for its contributions to the assay field. Between 1994 and 2001, Barbara was director of the Supra-Regional Assay Service for the measurement of vitamin D metabolites, providing this specialized service for the whole of the UK. Barbara received a Career Achievement Award at the 11th International Vitamin D Workshop, Nashville in 2000.

Barbara was promoted successively to Senior Research Fellow (1974), a North West Regional Health Authority Senior Research Fellow (1983-1993), Reader in Medicine (1993) and eventually to a personal chair as Professor of Bone and Mineral Metabolism in 1995 before she retired in 2001. Barbara was a wonderful role model for female basic scientists working in clinical medicine field. Following the retirement of Professor Stanbury in 1983, Barbara applied for funding to the Medical Research Council (MRC), indicating that she had been supported by them for many years. MRC claimed never to have heard of her, as funding had gone to Professor Stanbury not to her! It is to her considerable credit that Barbara overcame this ‘minor’ obstacle with her usual grit and determination and subsequently enjoyed considerable funding success in the 1984-2001 period with her close friend and clinical colleague, Dr Mike Davies. Drs Mawer and Davies held programme and project grants from the Medical Research Council, the Association for International Cancer Research, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and other bodies studying basic and clinical aspects of vitamin D metabolism. She retired in 2001, making a clean break with academia.

Barbara had a strong public service ethic - and another life outside science. She was active and successful in local politics, serving as a borough and parish councillor and chair of school governors at Thelwall, near Warrington, where she lived. She was leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition group on Warrington Borough Council, spearheading its growth over several years. She was greatly concerned with education, the environment and protecting the rights of individuals. The former Mayor of Warrington, Councillor Ted Lafferty said, "Barbara was a lady of great dignity and patience. I first met her in 1983 when we were canvassing for the local elections. We became firm friends and worked happily as colleagues up to the present time. Her calm and engaging manner won the respect of all who knew her. Here in Grappenhall and Thelwall she will be greatly missed." Barbara was also a keen gardener. She loved music and the arts and was particularly fond of cats, much to the chagrin of some of her colleagues and friends.

To the bone and mineral metabolism community around the globe, Barbara was an elegant figure with a quiet, unassuming but firm demeanour - qualities that will be sadly missed. Those who worked or collaborated with her learned to fear her no-nonsense style but appreciate her sense of humour and her unconditional support. She is survived by her three daughters and Cliff, her devoted second husband and best friend.

Adapted from an appreciation written by Glenville Jones, Jacqueline Berry, Mike Davies & Hugh Makin.

Updated: 16-jun-06

© 2006  The Bone Research Society - Secretary: Dr Tim Arnett email: [email protected]