- Alumni & Development
- Make A Gift
- Keep in touch
- Old Boys' Association
- Old Girls' Association
- Alumni News and Updates
- Medics' Dinner 2012
Nicola Camp
Back to Alumni News and Updates
"You often hear people talk about a pivotal person in their academic life. Without doubt my maths teacher at MTGS, Mrs. Evans, was mine".
Ex Merchant Taylors' pupil Dr. Nicola Camp recently had the opportunity to meet with President Obama while being awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). This is the highest honour bestowed by the United States government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers. Her award was accompanied by over $1.1 million to continue her research.
Nicki moved to Salt Lake City, Utah 13 years ago to take a faculty position in the School of Medicine at the University of Utah. She left MTGS in 1989 with grade A A-levels and a 1st in a Special Maths and Statistics Paper; the only student, boy or girl nationally, to achieve that grade. It will probably be no surprise to her old tutors that she went on to receive a 1st class honours degree in Mathematics and Statistics and a Statistical Genetics PhD at Sheffield University. Nicki still resides in Utah and in 2009 she was made Professor in Genetic Epidemiology and Human Genetics.
Promising scientists throughout the United States were nominated for consideration of a PECASE award in early 2011 by the directors of thirteen federal agencies (Department of Health and Human Services, Defence, Agriculture, Energy, etc). Awardees were confirmed by the White House in September, 2011. Nicki received her award for her research on genes that increase the incidence of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and for advances in the estimation of associated risk in order to improve clinical decisions related to diagnosis and treatment. Her current research also includes studies of genetic risk factors for other cancers, including multiple myeloma and breast cancer.
Of her award, she said "I am deeply honoured. It's very nice to be recognized by your peers and to feel like we're actually making a difference. The hope is that by developing new methods of analyzing and interpreting data, we'll find the genetic variations that may influence the next generation of personalized medicine."
The PECASE award ceremony took place the morning of October 14, in the Baird Auditorium in the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. The director of each nominating agency participated in presenting the award along with Dr. John Holdren (advisor to the President and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy). Nicki's nominating agency was the Department of Health and Human Services. She is pictured (right to left) with Dr. Francis Collins (Director of the National Institutes of Health, NIH), Kathleen Sebelius (Secretary of State for Health and Human Services) and John Holdren.
In the late afternoon Nicki and her fellow awardees went to the White House for a tour of the east wing before being assembled for a photo shoot with Obama. They saw him fly into the grounds on his 'Marine One' helicopter, returning from Detroit. He gave a brief address and congratulatory speech but took time out to shake hands with each of them.
Nicki returned to England to marry her husband Gregg in Liverpool in 2000. Her good ‘Old-Girl MTGS' friends Helen Tait (nee Walsh), Rebecca Simpson (nee Jackson), and Fiona Wilson (nee Rogers) attended. Nicki often reminisces about her time at MTGS, she said "You often hear people talk about a pivotal person in their academic life. Without doubt my maths teacher at MTGS, Mrs. Evans, was mine". She adds "I am absolutely positive that the culture of learning and excellence that began for me at MTGS provided an important foundation and was the beginning of my journey to where I am now."
Nicki has a step-son Cason (aged 20) and two young children, Jude (aged 7) and Lucy (nine months), who were born in Utah but who both hold dual nationality. She is pictured at the pre-award NIH reception celebrating with her family (left to right): mum (Marion Camp), husband (holding Lucy), Jude and dad (Charles Camp). All had a wonderful time!