The University of Birmingham Learning centre has recently been renamed the Murray Learning centre after Sir Kenneth and Lady Noreen Murray, who both did their PhDs here (Ken in Chemistry and Noreen in Microbiology). After leaving Birmingham, they eventually moved to academic positions in the Department of Molecular Biology at the University of Edinburgh where they pioneered gene cloning. This led to the founding of Biogen and the first anti hepatitis B vaccine.
In 1983, Ken and Noreen set up the Darwin Trust of Edinburgh, which has been a very generous donor to the University of Birmingham, including funding PhD studentships for Scholars from outside the UK. The naming is a very fitting tribute to two of our most illustrious alumni and, though, sadly, they have both passed away, their name, their work and their personality is still very much alive.
Their names can also be seen outside the Great Hall on the list of Benefactors. Their nephew Keith Murray continues the link with the family with regular visits to hear about the work of current Darwin Scholars.
