Margaret Alison Baird (née McIntyre; 1945 – 19 September 2016) was a New Zealand immunologist. She was a full professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the

University of Otago The University of Otago () is a public university, public research university, research collegiate university based in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. Founded in 1869, Otago is New Zealand's oldest university and one of the oldest universities in ...

. Her research considered

dendritic cell A dendritic cell (DC) is an antigen-presenting cell (also known as an ''accessory cell'') of the mammalian immune system. A DC's main function is to process antigen material and present it on the cell surface to the T cells of the immune system ...

s and their role in cancer and infectious disease.

Early life and education

Baird was the daughter of Hazel and Alan McIntyre, and grew up in

Tauranga Tauranga (, Māori language for "resting place," or "safe anchorage") is a coastal city in the Bay of Plenty Region and the List of cities in New Zealand, fifth-most populous city of New Zealand, with an urban population of or roughly 3% of t ...

, a small town that is on the North Island of New Zealand. She attended the University of Otago, where she studied zoology and graduated in 1967. After graduating, Baird worked as a high school teacher, teaching biology at

St Hilda's Collegiate School Saint Hilda's Collegiate School is a secondary school for girls in Dunedin, New Zealand. History Founded as an Anglican school in 1896 by the first bishop of Dunedin, Bishop Samuel Nevill and staffed by the Sisters of the Church. The sisters ...

. She developed debating and drama programs for the school students. Her husband joined the King George VI School in Honiara in 1970, and soon after Baird followed to teach science and art. In 1972 she returned to New Zealand, where she worked as a Speech and Drama teacher. Baird became interested in microbiology and enrolled on a postgraduate course in immunology at the University of Otago. She was the only woman and oldest person on the course. She eventually started a doctoral degree in transplant immunology, working with

Barbara Heslop Barbara Farnsworth Heslop (née Cupit; 26 January 1925 – 20 December 2013) was a New Zealand immunologist specialising in transplantation immunology and immunogenetics. Biography Born in Auckland, Heslop was educated at Epsom Girls' Grammar ...

at the University of Otago. In 1984 she earned her PhD, and later that year coordinated an important immunology meeting in Queenstown. The 1985 meeting would lead to the formation of the Australia and New Zealand Society for Immunology.

Research and career

Baird investigated dendritic cells. She was made a lecturer in the Microbiology Department at the University of Otago, where she investigated the role of dendritic cells in infectious diseases and cancer. She was promoted to Professor in 2011. When Baird retired in 2012 she was made a part time Professor in the Department of Pathology at the University of Otago. In this capacity she studied the role of p53 in tumour suppression. She also studied how p53 was involved in the regulation of dendritic cell function.

Academic service

Baird taught immunology courses at the University of Otago. In 2013 she was the first New Zealander to be awarded the Derrick Rowley Medal, which represents outstanding service to Immunology and the Australia and New Zealand Society for Immunology.

Death and legacy

Baird died in

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; ) is the second-most populous city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from ("fort of Edin"), the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of S ...

on 19 September 2016, at the age of 71. In 2019, the Australia and New Zealand Society for Immunology established the Margaret Baird Women in Immunology Award. The award is worth $5,000 AUD to fund a trans-Tasman lectureship. This lectureship will involve a series of guest lectures across New Zealand and Australia, focusing on the applicant's research, but also including perspectives on equity and balance in science careers.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baird, Margaret 1945 births 2016 deaths University of Otago alumni Academic staff of the University of Otago People from Tauranga New Zealand women scientists New Zealand women academics New Zealand microbiologists New Zealand immunologists