Helen Byrne

Helen M. Byrne is a professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of Oxford. Her work considers mathematical models to describe biomedical systems. She also serves as Director of Equality and Diversity in the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences (MPLS) Division. She was awarded the 2019 Society for Mathematical Biology Leah Edelstein-Keshet Prize.

Helen Byrne
Alma materUniversity of Cambridge
University of Oxford
Scientific career
InstitutionsUniversity of Bath
University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology
University of Nottingham
University of Oxford
ThesisModelling Combustion Zones in Porous Media (1991)
Doctoral advisorJohn Norbury

Early life and education

Byrne attended Manchester High School for Girls.[1] Eventually she studied mathematics at Newnham College, Cambridge, where she became interested in the applications of mathematics to real-world problems. She moved to Wadham College, Oxford for her graduate studies, where she earned a master's degree in Mathematical Modelling and Numerical Analysis. She remained at Oxford for her doctoral degree in applied mathematics. She was appointed as a postdoctoral fellow at the cyclotron unit at Hammersmith Hospital.[2] There, she started working in mathematical and theoretical biology.[2] She fitted mathematical models to positron emission tomography scans to evaluate oxygen and glucose transport.[2] After hearing Mark Chaplain talk about tumour growth at a conference she realised that her mathematical skills could be useful to different areas of medicine.[2]

Research and career

Byrne worked with Mark Chaplain at the University of Bath from 1993.[3] She joined the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology as a lecturer in 1996.[2] In 1998 Byrne joined the University of Nottingham, where she was promoted to Professor in 2003. Byrne was involved with the development of the Nottingham Centre for Mathematical Medicine and Biology, which she directed from 1999 to 2011.

She joined the faculty at the University of Oxford in 2011 where she was made Professor of Mathematical Biology based in the Mathematical Institute.[4] Her research has considered mathematical models to describe biological tissue.[5] She has explored how oxygen levels impact biological function, developing complex models that can describe disease progression.[6] She was part of a team who demonstrated that cell cannibalism is involved in the development of inflammatory diseases.[7]

Byrne was appointed Director of Equality and Diversity in the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences (MPLS) Division in 2016.[8] In 2018 she was awarded the Society for Mathematical Biology Leah Edelstein-Keshet Prize.[9] Byrne is an investigator on the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Cyclops Healthcare Network as well as the University of Liverpool 3D BioNet.[10]

Selected publications
  • Maini, P. K.; Byrne, H. M.; Alarcón, T. (2003). "A cellular automaton model for tumour growth in inhomogeneous environment". Journal of Theoretical Biology. 225 (2): 257–274. doi:10.1016/S0022-5193(03)00244-3. PMID 14575659.
  • Preziosi, Luigi; Byrne, H. M. (2003). "Modelling solid tumour growth using the theory of mixtures". Mathematical Medicine and Biology: A Journal of the IMA. 20 (4): 341–366. doi:10.1093/imammb/20.4.341. PMID 14969384.
  • Byrne, Helen M. (2010). "Dissecting cancer through mathematics: from the cell to the animal model". Nature Reviews Cancer. 10 (3): 221–230. doi:10.1038/nrc2808. PMID 20179714. S2CID 24616792.

Personal life

Whilst a graduate student at Oxford, she competed for OUWLRC in the Henley Boat Races in 1990[11] and 1991,[12] earning a Half Blue_(university sport) each time.

References
  1. "Helen Byrne — Diversity Projects". www.diversityprojects.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2019-10-11.
  2. "Spring 2019 SMB Newsletter: People; Helen Byrne". Retrieved 2019-10-11.
  3. "Professor Mark Chaplain". www.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk. Retrieved 2019-10-11.
  4. "Helen Byrne and Francis Woodhouse win Society for Mathematical Biology awards | Mathematical Institute". www.maths.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2019-10-11.
  5. "Prof Helen Byrne | School of Mathematics Research". Retrieved 2019-10-11.
  6. "Helen Byrne". School of Mathematics. Retrieved 2019-10-11.
  7. "'Cells eating cells' is a double-whammy for cell health: New research shows cells eating cells can lead to build-up of cholesterol and other harmful material". ScienceDaily. Retrieved 2019-10-11.
  8. "Professor Helen Byrne — Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division". www.mpls.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2019-10-11.
  9. "Helen Byrne and Francis Woodhouse win Society for Mathematical Biology awards | Mathematical Institute". www.maths.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2019-10-11.
  10. "Funding success moves 3D biology network into new dimension - News - University of Liverpool". Retrieved 2019-10-11.
  11. "OUWLRC 1990 Crew". www.ouwlrc.org.uk. Retrieved 2020-03-03.
  12. "OUWLRC 1991 Crew". www.ouwlrc.org.uk. Retrieved 2020-03-03.
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