Kathleen Mary Drew-Baker
Encyclopedia
Kathleen Mary Drew Baker (1901–1957) was a British phycologist
, born in Leigh, Lancashire, particularly known for her basic research on the edible seaweed Porphyra laciniata
(nori
), which led to a breakthrough for commercial growing.
Kathleen Drew Baker studied the life cycle of the red alga Porphyra umbilicalis
and found out that the microscopic Conchocelis - hitherto thought of as an independent alga - was the diploid
stage of the same organism that Porphyra is the macroscopic, haploid stage of. Her investigations were soon repeated by the Japan
ese phycologist
Sokichi Segawa, who in turn provided knowledge to revolutionize Japanese nori
culture, which before had suffered from unpredictable harvests. Already by 1953, Fusao Ota and other Japanese marine biologists
had developed artificial seeding techniques, building on her work. This in turn increased production and led to a boost in Japanese seaweed industry.
Kathleen Drew Baker is still today hailed as the Mother of the Sea in Japan
. Her work is celebrated each year on April 14.
Kathleen Drew Baker spent most of her academic life at the cryptogamic botany
department of the University of Manchester
, serving as a Lecturer in Botany and Researcher from 1922 to 1957. She also spent two years working at the University of California
. She was a co-founder of the British Phycological Society and its first President.
Phycology
Phycology is the scientific study of algae. Phycology is a branch of life science and often is regarded as a subdiscipline of botany....
, born in Leigh, Lancashire, particularly known for her basic research on the edible seaweed Porphyra laciniata
Porphyra
Porphyra is a foliose red algal genus of laver, comprising approximately 70 species. It grows in the intertidal zone, typically between the upper intertidal zone and the splash zone in cold waters of temperate oceans. In East Asia, it is used to produce the sea vegetable products nori and gim ,...
(nori
Nori
is the Japanese name for various edible seaweed species of the red alga Porphyra including most notably P. yezoensis and P. tenera, sometimes called laver. Finished products are made by a shredding and rack-drying process that resembles papermaking...
), which led to a breakthrough for commercial growing.
Kathleen Drew Baker studied the life cycle of the red alga Porphyra umbilicalis
Porphyra
Porphyra is a foliose red algal genus of laver, comprising approximately 70 species. It grows in the intertidal zone, typically between the upper intertidal zone and the splash zone in cold waters of temperate oceans. In East Asia, it is used to produce the sea vegetable products nori and gim ,...
and found out that the microscopic Conchocelis - hitherto thought of as an independent alga - was the diploid
Ploidy
Ploidy is the number of sets of chromosomes in a biological cell.Human sex cells have one complete set of chromosomes from the male or female parent. Sex cells, also called gametes, combine to produce somatic cells. Somatic cells, therefore, have twice as many chromosomes. The haploid number is...
stage of the same organism that Porphyra is the macroscopic, haploid stage of. Her investigations were soon repeated by the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese phycologist
Phycology
Phycology is the scientific study of algae. Phycology is a branch of life science and often is regarded as a subdiscipline of botany....
Sokichi Segawa, who in turn provided knowledge to revolutionize Japanese nori
Nori
is the Japanese name for various edible seaweed species of the red alga Porphyra including most notably P. yezoensis and P. tenera, sometimes called laver. Finished products are made by a shredding and rack-drying process that resembles papermaking...
culture, which before had suffered from unpredictable harvests. Already by 1953, Fusao Ota and other Japanese marine biologists
Marine biology
Marine biology is the scientific study of organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish bodies of water. Given that in biology many phyla, families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others that live on land, marine biology classifies species based on the environment rather...
had developed artificial seeding techniques, building on her work. This in turn increased production and led to a boost in Japanese seaweed industry.
Kathleen Drew Baker is still today hailed as the Mother of the Sea in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Her work is celebrated each year on April 14.
Kathleen Drew Baker spent most of her academic life at the cryptogamic botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
department of the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
, serving as a Lecturer in Botany and Researcher from 1922 to 1957. She also spent two years working at the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
. She was a co-founder of the British Phycological Society and its first President.