Scientist who led ground-breaking research in Salisbury recognised with blue plaque
Dr Marina Seabright's research is still widely used today
A scientist who led ground-breaking research in Salisbury in the 1970s and 80s has had her achievements marked with a blue plaque in the city.
Dr Marina Seabright led research into Cytogenetics – the study of cells, looking for abnormalities in chromosomes that could indicate a genetic disease or disorder.
Dr Seabright is the latest woman to have her story recognised in the city with a blue plaque in a joint effort between Salisbury Civic Society and Salisbury Soroptimists, as part of Her Salisbury Story.
The plaque, located at the Old Salisbury Infirmary on Fisherton Street, was unveiled on Wednesday 6th September by Mayor of Salisbury Atiqul Hoque.
A number of Dr Seabright’s colleagues were in attendance to see the plaque unveiled, before sharing memories of her in a short talk afterwards.
Greatest Hits Radio spoke to Dr John Harvey and Jenny Hair, who both worked with Dr Seabright.
Jenny joined the Hospital in HR and worked with Dr Seabright to ensure that staffing rules were followed.
“I soon established that Marina didn’t really want to work by the rules, she wanted me to help her to achieve whatever it was she wanted to achieve.
“She achieved lots of it by not sticking the rules and by doing things that in her mind were right, and nine times out of 10 they were right!”
Dr Harvey worked with Dr Seabright on analysing chromosomes and described her as “dynamic”, saying she took risks.
“She took a risk with me as I was virtually unpublished. She said ‘just be yourself and I’ll support you.
“She backed me all the way and that gave the confidence and courage to go on!”
Marina Seabright was born in Italy in 1922, where she studied medicine in Palermo.
Dr Seabright married an English sub lieutenant in the Royal Navy volunteer reserves, where they settled in Ringwood, Hampshire.
She worked in the pathology department in Salisbury and discovered her first significant results on chromosome abnormalities by accident, before repeating them years later and recognised the significance of them.
Her use of trypsin allowed for simple, speedy and cheap characterisation of individual chromosomes, transforming the field of human genetics.
Find out more about Dr Seabright's Salisbury Story here.