Gail McConnell
{{short description|Scottish physicist and professor}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = Gail McConnell
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|FRSE|FInstP|FRMS|size=100}}
| alma_mater = University of Strathclyde (BSc, PhD)
| workplaces = University of Strathclyde
| fields = Biophotonics
Microscopy
| doctoral_advisor = Allister Ferguson
| thesis_url = https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.248368
| thesis_year = 2001
| thesis_title = Nonlinear optical frequency conversion of mode-locked all-solid-state lasers
| website = {{URL|strathclydemesolab.com}}
| image = Professor Gail McConnell.jpg
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1976|8|25|df=yes}}
}}
Gail McConnell {{post-nominals|country=GBR|FRSE|FInstP|FRMS}} (born 25 August 1976{{Cite tweet |user=gailmcconnell |author=Gail McConnell |number=770628364558303233 |date=30 Aug 2016 |title=Nothing says 'happy birthday, valued friend & colleague' like a poo cushion & a bottle of gin. They know me well .pic.twitter.com/PnZqUtw7Ay}}{{Cite tweet |user=gailmcconnell |author=Gail McConnell |number=768935564007596032 |date=25 Aug 2016 |title=Thanks a'body for your birthday wishes and messages. Had a great day!}}) is a Scottish physicist who is Professor of Physics and director of the Centre for Biophotonics at the University of Strathclyde.{{cite journal|last1=McConnell|first1=Gail|title=Confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy with a visible continuum source|journal=Optics Express|volume=12|issue=13|year=2004|pages=2844–50|issn=1094-4087|doi=10.1364/OPEX.12.002844|pmid=19483798|bibcode=2004OExpr..12.2844M |doi-access=free}} She is interested in optical microscopy and novel imaging techniques, and leads the Mesolens microscope facility where her research investigates linear and non-linear optics.{{EuropePMC|ORCID=0000-0002-7213-0686}}{{Scopus id}}
Early life and education
McConnell credits her high school physics teacher with her inspiration to study science.{{Cite web|url=http://soapboxscience.org/a-different-kind-of-cool-meet-gail-mcconnell/|title=A different kind of cool: Meet Gail McConnell|last=Pettorelli|first=Nathalie|date=2015-06-06|website=SoapboxScience|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-10}} She studied optoelectronics and laser physics at the University of Strathclyde, where she was taught by Carol Trager-Cowan.{{Cite web|url=http://index.html/|title=Gail McConnell|publisher=Oxford Biomedical Imaging Network|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-03-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080505195009/http://index.html/|archive-date=2008-05-05|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.osa.org/en-us/foundation/tributes/women_in_science/prof_gail_mcconnell/|title=Tributes|last=|first=|date=|website=osa.org|publisher=Optical Society of America|archive-url=|archive-date=|url-status=|access-date=2019-03-10}} She remained there for her graduate studies, earning a PhD in laser technology under the supervision of Allister Ferguson in 2002.{{cite thesis|year=2002|url=https://copac.jisc.ac.uk/id/27104565?style=html|degree=PhD|first=Gail|last=McConnell|title=Nonlinear optical frequency conversion of mode-locked all-solid-state lasers|publisher=University of Strathclyde|id={{EThOS|uk.bl.ethos.248368}}|oclc=59348545|website=jisc.ac.uk}} {{free access}} She was the first member of her family to go to university.{{Cite web|url=https://www.scientifica.uk.com/neurowire/womeninscience-professor-gail-mcconnell|title=#Womeninscience: Professor Gail McConnell|website=scientifica.uk.com|language=en|access-date=2019-03-10}}
Career and research
McConnell almost worked in telecommunications, but was convinced by Ferguson to join Strathclyde's new Centre for Biophotonics.{{Cite web|url=http://live.iop-pp01.agh.sleek.net/2017/05/20/a-gateway-to-the-biological-world/|title=» A gateway to the biological world|website=live.iop-pp01.agh.sleek.net|access-date=2019-03-10}} She became interested in biomedical research and increasingly aware of the limitations of commercial imaging. Here she worked with Alison Gurney on the development of confocal, multi-photon wide-field microscopes. Gurney encouraged McConnell to apply for fellowships, and she was a Royal Society of Edinburgh and Research Councils UK (RCUK) postdoctoral fellow. She developed the world's first white light supercontinuum laser that could be used for confocal microscopy, as well as laser scanning fluorescence microscopy.{{Cite journal|last=McConnell|first=Gail|date=2004|title=Confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy with a visible continuum source|journal=Optics Express|volume=12|issue=13|pages=2844–50|doi=10.1364/opex.12.002844|pmid=19483798|bibcode=2004OExpr..12.2844M |issn=1094-4087|doi-access=free}}{{Cite journal|last1=Riis|first1=Erling|last2=McConnell|first2=Gail|date=2004|title=Two-photon laser scanning fluorescence microscopy using photonic crystal fiber|journal=Journal of Biomedical Optics|volume=9|issue=5|pages=922–928|doi=10.1117/1.1778734|pmid=15447012|bibcode=2004JBO.....9..922M |issn=1083-3668|url=https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/45/6/strathprints000045.pdf}} She attended the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Practical Course in Advanced Optical Microscopy in Plymouth, which she has continued to support throughout her academic career.
McConnell directs the Centre for Biophotonics and Mesolens laboratory at the University of Strathclyde,{{Cite web|url=http://www.strathclydemesolab.com/|title=Mesolab {{!}} Optical Mesoscopy at the University of Strathclyde|website=strathclydemesolab.com|language=en|access-date=2019-03-10}} working on nonlinear and linear optical instrumentation for biomedical imaging.{{Cite web|url=http://elmi2018.eu/programme|title=Programme :: elmi2018|website=elmi2018.eu|access-date=2019-03-10}} Nonlinear optics allows physicists precise control of excitation parameters, including the chance to tune the duration of laser pules.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ailu.org.uk/adhocpages/gail_mcconnell080827.html|title=Lasers in medicine and biophotonics: Gail McConnell - The Association of Industrial Laser Users|website=ailu.org.uk|access-date=2019-03-10}}
In 2009, McConnell began working with William Bradshaw Amos and built a new lens, Mesolens, that can allow 3D imaging with a depth resolution of a few microns for objects up to 6 mm wide and 3 mm thick.{{Cite journal|last1=McConnell|first1=Gail|last2=Trägårdh|first2=Johanna|last3=Amor|first3=Rumelo|last4=Dempster|first4=John|last5=Reid|first5=Es|last6=Amos|first6=William Bradshaw|date=2016|editor-last=Bronner|editor-first=Marianne E|title=A novel optical microscope for imaging large embryos and tissue volumes with sub-cellular resolution throughout|journal=eLife|volume=5|pages=e18659|doi=10.7554/eLife.18659|issn=2050-084X|pmid=27661778 |pmc=5035146 |doi-access=free }}{{Cite web|url=http://www.mesolens.com/|title=Mesolens Ltd {{!}} Mesolens microscope|website=mesolens.com|access-date=2019-03-10}} The Mesolens is a giant optical microscope objective supported by the Medical Research Council (MRC). It can be used to image large biomedical specimens, including embryos, tumours and areas in brain, as well as scanning large areas of samples in a short amount of time.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bps.ac.uk/BPSMemberPortal/media/BPSWebsite/Documents/Publishing/Pharmacology%20Matters/2015/Pharmacology-Matters-December-2015.pdf?ext=.pdf|title=Mesoscope: a novel instrument for imaging microscopic detail in a huge volume of tissue|last=|first=|date=|website=BPS|archive-url=|archive-date=|url-status=|access-date=2019-03-09}} The lens has 260 megapixal effective camera and a magic ratio of 8:1, which can even resolve individual bacteria.{{Cite web|url=https://microbiologysociety.org/publication/past-issues/imaging/article/can-the-mesolens-help-the-microbiologist.html|title=Can the Mesolens help the microbiologist?|last=Society|first=Microbiology|website=microbiologysociety.org|access-date=2019-03-10}} As the photometric volume can sample such a large area with sub-cellular detail, the Mesolens may allow for the imaging of rare events. Mesolens became a University spin-off, but McConnell decided to stay in academia to explore the physics of biomedical processes. The Mesolens generates such large amounts of data that McConnell became interested in computational biology. The Mesolens was selected by Physics World as one of the top achievements of 2016.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/gravitational-waves-physics-world-breakthrough|title=Gravitational waves discovery wins Breakthrough of the Year award|last=Woollaston|first=Victoria|date=2016-12-12|website=wired.co.uk|access-date=2019-03-10|issn=1357-0978}} She discussed the Mesolens on the podcast Not Exactly Rocket Science.{{Cite web|url=https://www.spreaker.com/user/10814642/gail-mcconnell|title=Gail McConnell|website=spreaker.com|language=en|access-date=2019-03-10}}
Alongside the Mesolens, McConnell has explored how laser sources can be used to open voltage-gated ion channels, such as Calcium-activated potassium channels.{{Cite web|url=https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FE025048%2F1|title=The lighter touch: minimally-invasive optical modulation of Ca2+-activated K+ ion channels|last=|first=|date=|website=ukri.org|archive-url=|archive-date=|url-status=|access-date=2019-03-10}} She has developed a fast-acquisition version of two-photon excitation microscopy that can be used to image at rates of 100 frames/second.{{Cite web|url=https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=BB%2FM018903%2F1|title=Multi-photon microscopy without scanning for faster than video-rate fluorescence imaging of live cells|last=|first=|date=|website=ukri.org|archive-url=|archive-date=|url-status=|access-date=2019-03-10}} She created polymer hydrogel beads that are responsive to enzymes.{{Cite journal|last1=Ulijn|first1=Rein V.|last2=McConnell|first2=Gail|last3=Thornton|first3=Paul D.|date=2005|title=Enzyme responsive polymer hydrogel beads|journal=Chemical Communications|language=en|issue=47|pages=5913–5915|doi=10.1039/B511005J|pmid=16317473|issn=1364-548X}}{{closed access}} She is working with the Medical Research Scotland to create high brightness light-emitting diodes.{{Cite web|url=https://pureportal.strath.ac.uk/en/projects/applications-of-high-brightness-280nm-light-emitting-diodes-in-bi|title=Applications of high-brightness 280nm light emitting diodes in biomedical optical imaging |publisher= University of Strathclyde|website=pureportal.strath.ac.uk|access-date=2019-03-10}}
In May 2012, she was appointed Professor and Director of the Centre for Biophotonics at the University of Strathclyde. She leads the Strathclyde Theme of Physics and Life Sciences and is part of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Centre for Doctoral Training in Optical Medical Imaging.{{Cite web|url=https://www.optima-cdt.ac.uk/supervisors|title=Supervisors OPTIMA|website=optima-cdt.ac.uk|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-03-10}}
=Awards and honours=
In recognition of her work, McConnell was elected a Fellow of the Institute of Physics (FInstP) in 2010,{{Cite web|url=http://www.iop.org/interactions/archive/INTFeb10Digital.pdf|title=Interactions|last=|first=|date=February 2010|website=|publisher=Institute of Physics|page=3|archive-url=|archive-date=|url-status=|access-date=2019-06-27}} a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) in 2019{{Cite web|url=https://www.rse.org.uk/fellow/gail-mcconnell/|title=Professor Gail McConnell FRSE|date=2019-03-15|website=The Royal Society of Edinburgh|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-03-15}} and a Fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society{{when|date=March 2019}} (FRMS).{{Cite web|url=http://www.iop.org/interactions/archive/INTFeb10Digital.pdf|title=Interactions: The Newspaper of the Physics Community|last=|first=|date=|website=iop.org|archive-url=|archive-date=|url-status=|access-date=2019-03-10}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.rms.org.uk/network-collaborate/science-sections/light-microscopy.html|title=Light Microscopy|website=rms.org.uk|access-date=2019-03-10}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.strath.ac.uk/whystrathclyde/news/sevennewroyalsocietyofedinburghfellowsforstrathclyde/|title=Seven new Royal Society of Edinburgh Fellows for Strathclyde {{!}} University of Strathclyde|website=strath.ac.uk|access-date=2019-03-10}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.glasgowcityofscienceandinnovation.com/|title=Seven new RSE fellows for Strathclyde|last=Katasha|website=glasgowcityofscienceandinnovation.com|publisher=Glasgow City of Science and Innovation|access-date=2019-03-10}}
References
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Category:Scottish women academics
Category:21st-century Scottish women scientists
Category:21st-century Scottish scientists
Category:Alumni of the University of Strathclyde
Category:Fellows of the Institute of Physics
Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
Category:Academics of the University of Strathclyde