Harry Baker
Harry F Baker, BA, MSc, DSc
Harry F Baker, BA, MSc, DSc
Former Special Supervisor and College Lecturer in Psychology, and former Assistant Graduate Tutor with responsibility for Clinical Medical Students and Science Graduate Students, Newnham College, Cambridge.
Former Special Supervisor and College Lecturer in Psychology, and former Assistant Graduate Tutor with responsibility for Clinical Medical Students and Science Graduate Students, Newnham College, Cambridge.
Former Member, Medical Research Council Comparative Cognition Team, Department of Experimental Psychology , Cambridge University
Former Member, Medical Research Council Comparative Cognition Team, Department of Experimental Psychology , Cambridge University
Research history:
Research history:
Having originally trained in biochemistry I spent the first four years of my research career at the National Institute for Medical Research in Mill Hill, London. I then worked at Harvard Medical School in the United States for two years before joining the MRC Muscle Biophysics Unit at King's College, London.
Having originally trained in biochemistry I spent the first four years of my research career at the National Institute for Medical Research in Mill Hill, London. I then worked at Harvard Medical School in the United States for two years before joining the MRC Muscle Biophysics Unit at King's College, London.
In 1974, I moved to the Division of Psychiatry at the Medical Research Council's Clinical Research Centre at Northwick Park Hospital. The Division of Psychiatry was established to investigate the biological basis of psychosis (schizophrenia), affective disorders (depression and manic-depression) and dementia (Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias). During the early phase (1974-77) I was involved in developing biochemical measures of brain function which could be applied to samples from patients or volunteers who had been treated with a number of drugs.
In 1974, I moved to the Division of Psychiatry at the Medical Research Council's Clinical Research Centre at Northwick Park Hospital. The Division of Psychiatry was established to investigate the biological basis of psychosis (schizophrenia), affective disorders (depression and manic-depression) and dementia (Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias). During the early phase (1974-77) I was involved in developing biochemical measures of brain function which could be applied to samples from patients or volunteers who had been treated with a number of drugs.
In 1977, the team was joined by Ros Ridley whose project was concerned with investigating the cognitive effects of amphetamine administration. I started to work with Ros and, although I was initally concerned with measuring the metabolism of drugs, I soon became interested in measuring abnormal behaviour, and took a higher degree in psychology. Ros and I worked together continuously on a number of projects aimed at elucidating the neurobiological basis of learning and memory and assessing the ability of neural tissue transplants to ameliorate the behavioural consequences of brain lesions. We also became interested in the genetic basis of neurological disease and were part of the team which found the first gene mutation leading to Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker disease (GSS) an inherited form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) one of the spongiform encephalopathies. We became involved in research on Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in 1986 and, in particular, on the transmissibility of BSE.
In 1977, the team was joined by Ros Ridley whose project was concerned with investigating the cognitive effects of amphetamine administration. I started to work with Ros and, although I was initally concerned with measuring the metabolism of drugs, I soon became interested in measuring abnormal behaviour, and took a higher degree in psychology. Ros and I worked together continuously on a number of projects aimed at elucidating the neurobiological basis of learning and memory and assessing the ability of neural tissue transplants to ameliorate the behavioural consequences of brain lesions. We also became interested in the genetic basis of neurological disease and were part of the team which found the first gene mutation leading to Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker disease (GSS) an inherited form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) one of the spongiform encephalopathies. We became involved in research on Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in 1986 and, in particular, on the transmissibility of BSE.
On the closure of the Clinical Research Centre at Northwick Park in 1994, Ros (who is also my wife) and I were transferred with our team to Cambridge. We were established as an MRC External Scientific Team within the university Department of Experimental Psychology. The team's interests included the neurobiology of learning and memory and its new research into neuroprotection in stroke. The team maintained an interest in prion diseases and extended this to develop models of cerebral amyloidosis (a feature of the neuropathology of Alzheimer’s disease). We also collaborated with colleagues in the Department of Experimental Psychology on potential therapies for neurodegenerative disorders.
On the closure of the Clinical Research Centre at Northwick Park in 1994, Ros (who is also my wife) and I were transferred with our team to Cambridge. We were established as an MRC External Scientific Team within the university Department of Experimental Psychology. The team's interests included the neurobiology of learning and memory and its new research into neuroprotection in stroke. The team maintained an interest in prion diseases and extended this to develop models of cerebral amyloidosis (a feature of the neuropathology of Alzheimer’s disease). We also collaborated with colleagues in the Department of Experimental Psychology on potential therapies for neurodegenerative disorders.
I became a Senior Member of Newnham College as Special Supervisor and, in 1996, as College Lecturer in Psychology. In these roles I taught medical psychology to second year medical students. I also acted as Director of Studies in Pre-Clinical Medicine for a 3 year period. As one of the Graduate Tutors, from 2000-2010, I was responsible for the pastoral care of our clinical students at Cambridge Medical School and of the science graduate students carrying out research in the various University departments.
I became a Senior Member of Newnham College as Special Supervisor and, in 1996, as College Lecturer in Psychology. In these roles I taught medical psychology to second year medical students. I also acted as Director of Studies in Pre-Clinical Medicine for a 3 year period. As one of the Graduate Tutors, from 2000-2010, I was responsible for the pastoral care of our clinical students at Cambridge Medical School and of the science graduate students carrying out research in the various University departments.
Ros and I retired from the Medical Research Council and the team was disbanded in September, 2005. I retired from my positions at Newnham College in September 2010. I now enjoy the privileges of a Fellow Emerita. Note the gender ending, derived from the fact that only women can be Fellows at Newnham.
Ros and I retired from the Medical Research Council and the team was disbanded in September, 2005. I retired from my positions at Newnham College in September 2010. I now enjoy the privileges of a Fellow Emerita. Note the gender ending, derived from the fact that only women can be Fellows at Newnham.