Babraham Institute Director Michael Wakelam died on March 31 due to respiratory complications from a suspected COVID-19 infection, according to the Babraham Institute. He was 64 years old.
Over the course of his research career, Wakelam investigated cell signaling and communication with a focus on the physiological functions of lipids, according to the Babraham Institute, where he had served as director since 2007. His lab pioneered high-sensitivity liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) technology that allowed researchers to measure lipid levels in different types of cells, tissues, and tumors, and sought to understand the role that lipids play in cell function during the process of aging.
Wakelam earned an undergraduate degree in medical biochemistry in 1977 and a PhD in biochemistry in 1980, both from the University of Birmingham, according to the Babraham Institute. He then completed postdocs at the University of Konstanz in Germany and Imperial College London. In 1985, Wakelam ...
