Sara Rankin
{{short description|Professor of Leukocyte and Stem Cell Biology}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
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| birth_name = Sara Margaret Rankin
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| workplaces = Imperial College London
University of California, San Diego
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| alma_mater = King's College London (BSc, PhD)
| thesis_title = The modification,uptake and degradation of low density lipoproteins by macrophages : and the effects of drugs and chemicals on these processes
| thesis_url = https://catalogue.libraries.london.ac.uk/record=b1588813
| thesis_year = 1989
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| website = {{URL|imperial.ac.uk/people/s.rankin}}}}
Sara Margaret Rankin {{post-nominals|country=GBR|FRSB}} is a professor of Leukocyte and Stem Cell Biology at Imperial College London. She is known for her work in stimulating endogenous bone marrow stem cells to repair the body. Rankin identifies as being neurodiverse.
Personal life
After visiting the Bristol Radiotherapy Centre as a teenager, Rankin knew she wanted a career in research.{{Cite news |date=2011-10-07 |title=In your bones: Professor Sara Rankin |language=en-US |work=Wellcome Trust Blog |url=https://blog.wellcome.ac.uk/2011/10/07/feature-in-your-bones-professor-sara-rankin/ |access-date=2017-12-16}} Since 2011, Rankin has identified as being neurodiverse, with characteristics of dyslexia and dyspraxia.{{Cite web |title=Sara Rankin - Scientists with disabilities {{!}} Royal Society |url=https://royalsociety.org/topics-policy/diversity-in-science/scientists-with-disabilities/sara-rankin/ |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=royalsociety.org}}
Education
Rankin received first class honours for a BSc in pharmacology at King's College London in 1985.{{Cite web|url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/s.rankin|title=Home - Professor Sara Rankin|website=www.imperial.ac.uk|access-date=2017-12-16}} Rankin continued at the same institution for her PhD, completing in 1989.
Research
After her PhD, Rankin moved to the University of California, San Diego as a postdoctoral research fellow. She joined Imperial as a postdoctoral researcher in 1992.
{{As of|2018}}, Rankin is based in the Faculty of Medicine at the National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI), where she was appointed Professor in 2010.{{Citation|last=Imperial College London|title=Body heal thyself Professor Sara Rankin|date=2012-09-10|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_o3exThRBY|accessdate=2017-12-16}}{{Cite web|url=http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/newsandeventspggrp/imperialcollege/eventssummary/event_22-6-2012-10-8-6|title=Body heal thyself, A tale of stem cells|website=Imperial College London News and Events|access-date=2017-12-16}} Rankin and her team are trying to navigate the mesenchymal stem cells found in bone marrow to injured sites around the body, where they can promote regeneration in nearby tissue and dampen the immune system.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2009/jan/08/stem-cells-bone-marrow-heart-attack|title=Stem cell therapy boosts body's ability to heal itself|last=Sample|first=Ian|date=2009-01-08|work=The Guardian|access-date=2017-12-16|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} The regulated movement of stem cells from bone marrow to sites of tissue damage could treat broken bones or heart disease.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/documents/1007-stem-cell-resourse-edition3-pdf/|title=Stem Cells: Science and Ethics|website=The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council|access-date=2017-12-16}}
She is the lead for biology and therapeutics at the Blast Injury Centre{{Cite web|url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/blast-injury|title=Centre for Blast Injury Studies; Research groups; Imperial College London|website=www.imperial.ac.uk}} at Imperial College London, where she studies heterotopic ossification. She is a leader of the London Stem Cell Network.{{Cite web|url=https://lscn.crick.ac.uk/?elqTrackId=880c4a8653424024bbe895db6de1596b|title=London Stem Cell Network|website=The Francis Crisk Institute|access-date=2017-12-16}} Rankin holds research grants from the Wellcome Trust, European Commission and British Legion.
= Public engagement =
Rankin is the NHLI division lead for Outreach and engagement. She is the co-founder of The Curious Act, a science public engagement initiative who run creative science-based activities for the public.{{Cite web|url=http://www.imperial.ac.uk/about/leadership-and-strategy/provost/academic-partnerships/engagement-with-research-highlight-stories/professor-sara-rankin-and-ellen-dowell-on-pop-up-science-shops/|title=Professor Sara Rankin and Ellen Dowell on Pop-up Science Shops {{!}} Imperial College London|website=www.imperial.ac.uk|access-date=2017-12-16}} In 2011, she collaborated with Gina Czarnecki, acting as the lead scientist in "Wasted".{{Cite web|url=https://www.ginaczarnecki.com/wasted-debates|title=Art {{!}} UK {{!}} Gina Czarnecki|website=Art {{!}} UK {{!}} Gina Czarnecki|access-date=2017-12-16}}{{Cite news|url=https://lisresearch.org/dream-project/contributors-to-dream-project-events/|title=Contributors to DREaM project events|date=2011-06-06|work=LIS Research Coalition|access-date=2017-12-16|language=en-US}} In 2012 Czarnecki and Rankin created Palaces, a crystal resin sculpture embedded with milk teeth donated by children across the UK.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ginaczarnecki.com/palaces|title=Art {{!}} UK {{!}} Gina Czarnecki|website=Art {{!}} UK {{!}} Gina Czarnecki|access-date=2017-12-16}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-16009883|title=The thought-provoking 'tooth fairy palace'|date=2011-12-08|work=BBC News|access-date=2017-12-16|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|url=http://palaces.org.uk/|title=Palaces.org.uk {{!}} We need your pearly whites...|website=palaces.org.uk|language=en-US|access-date=2017-12-16}}
Rankin and The Curious Act have hosted a number of science-themed pop-up shops.{{Cite journal|last=Thorley|first=Jennifer|date=2015-12-01|title=Lung health care—what does the future have in store?|journal=The Lancet Respiratory Medicine|language=English|volume=3|issue=12|pages=927|doi=10.1016/S2213-2600(15)00457-9|pmid=26679023|issn=2213-2600|doi-access=free}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.timeout.com/london/blog/the-13-best-pop-ups-happening-in-london-this-october-100715|title=The 13 best pop-ups happening in London this October|work=Time Out London|access-date=2017-12-16|language=en}} The Heart and Lung Repair Shop, a two-week pop-up science shop in Hammersmith's Kings Mall, opened in July 2014.{{Cite web|url=http://www.imperial.ac.uk/nhli/interact/public-engagement/our-projects/heart-and-lung-repair-shop/|title=Heart and Lung Repair Shop|website=Imperial College London|language=en-GB|access-date=2017-12-16}} The Heart and Lung Convenience Store opened in Hammersmith in 2015.{{Cite web|url=http://www.imperial.ac.uk/nhli/interact/public-engagement/our-projects/the-heart-and-lung-convenience-store/|title=The Heart and Lung Convenience Store|website=Imperial College London|language=en-GB|access-date=2017-12-16}}
In 2017 Rankin launched 2eMpowerUK, which runs STEM workshops for neurodiverse teenagers.
= Honours and awards =
Her awards and honours include:
- 2016 Imperial College London Collaboration Award for Societal Engagement{{Cite web|url=http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/newsandeventspggrp/imperialcollege/newssummary/news_23-11-2016-12-46-11|title=Imperial celebrates its societal engagement stars|website=Imperial College London News|date=23 November 2016 |access-date=2017-12-16}}
- 2011 Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator Award{{Cite web|url=https://wellcome.ac.uk/press-release/outstanding-researchers-receive-inaugural-wellcome-trust-investigator-awards|title=Outstanding researchers receive inaugural Wellcome Trust Investigator Awards {{!}} Wellcome|website=wellcome.ac.uk|date=2 June 2011 |language=en|access-date=2017-12-16}}
- 2010 Imperial College London Rector's Award for Excellence in Pastoral Care{{Cite web|url=http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/newsandeventspggrp/imperialcollege/newssummary/news_2-6-2010-11-34-18|title=Rector's Awards recognise exceptional teaching, pastoral care and student supervision|website=Imperial College London News|date=2 June 2010 |access-date=2017-12-16}}
- 2019 Imperial College Julia Higgins Award for contribution to gender equality{{Cite web|title=Julia Higgins Medal and Awards|url=http://www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/equality/activities/julia-higgins-medal-and-awards/|access-date=2020-12-03|website=Imperial College London|language=en-GB}}
References
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Category:21st-century British biologists
Category:21st-century British women scientists
Category:Academics of Imperial College London
Category:Alumni of King's College London
Category:British women biologists
Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Biology
Category:Stem cell researchers
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)