Professor Melody Clark

Melody Clark read Genetics at Queen Mary University of London, followed by a PhD in Genetics at Imperial College, London. She is the Project Leader for the Adaptations Group at the British Antarctic Survey. She is an Honorary Professor in the School of Biological and Marine Sciences, in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Plymouth and holds a Visiting Chair at the University of the Highlands and Islands, Scotland, where she teaches on the Polar Seas Masters course. She also holds an Honorary Researcher position at CNR in Naples, Italy.

Melody has 30 years experience in comparative genomics. She started her molecular career working on the Fugu (Japanese pufferfish) genome project and in her subsequent move to BAS has played a major role in the development of cross-disciplinary studies into the Environmental Genomics of Antarctic organisms (ranging from microbes, through marine invertebrates to fish). Melody leads molecular investigations into Antarctic organisms’ adaptation to the cold and responses to environmental change with a strong emphasis on technology transfer from model species. She has also played a significant role in breaking the glass ceiling in Antarctic science (often thought of as dominated by bearded men in snowstorms). She was the first woman promoted to Individual Merit Promotion level (IMP3) within BAS and is one of only 21 women awarded the Polar Medal for her contribution to the Polar Sciences.