Professor Noel Ellis has been awarded a prestigious honour in recognition of his long and distinguished service to the legacy of the 'Father of Genetics', Gregor Mendel.
The Mendel Memorial Medal is awarded annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the scientific and cultural legacy of Mendel and genetics.
The Medal is conferred by the Mendelianum, part of the Moravian Museum in Brno, dedicated to study of Mendel and his legacy.
The city of Brno in the Czech Republic is where Mendel, an Augustinian friar, developed the theories which were to become the basis of the science of genetics.
Professor Ellis is a senior affiliated scientist at the John Innes Centre, and an alumnus with a 36-year association with the institute. He has contributed to a body of research in recent years which has cast new light on the extraordinary and visionary career of Mendel.
Since 2015 he has collaborated extensively with Netherlands-based plant geneticist Dr Peter van Dijk on a reappraisal of Mendel's work, deepening our understanding of Mendel's Genetics, taking advantage of digital archives which give us a better understanding of Mendel, the man and the scientist, and bringing new analysis to Mendel's landmark papers, from 1866 and 1870.
These investigations have amounted to a staunch defence of Mendel – refuting the many and diverse criticisms.
Professor Ellis joins a list of distinguished scientists (including Peter van Dijk in 2023) to receive the Mendel Memorial Medal. First awarded in 1992, the award has been given to Nobel prize winners, outstanding researchers, and pioneers in genetics.
"I am delighted to receive this prestigious award. The work this award recognises is both biological and historical. The medal celebrates the work of a truly great scientist who is an inspiration for future generations." he said.
The medal ceremony held at the John Innes Centre marked the 160th anniversary of the completion of Mendel's lectures.
Professor Ellis presented a lecture titled: "Mendel's lectures in the light of current knowledge", based on his research, which links historical genetics with modern genetics by identifying pea genes studied by Mendel and characterising them at the molecular level. "
Dr Jiří Sekerák the head of the Mendalianum said: "Professor Ellis' contribution to Mendel's legacy is of great value to the scientific community. We are honoured that he is accepting this prestitious award on the 160th anniversary of the publication of Mendel's epochal discovery."
Professor Daniel Fairbanks of Utah Valley University, visiting the John Innes Centre, delivered a lecture on the subject of "Mendel's annotations in Gärtner's 'Experiments and Observations on the Production of Hybrids in the Plant Kingdom.'
