Professor Dr Edith Heard

Research Priorities: Genetics, epigenetics, developmental biology, biodiversity, planetary health
Edith Heard is a British geneticist and developmental biologist. The natural scientist has made a considerable contribution to our understanding of the epigenetic development of mammals. Her research currently focuses on the diverse range of relationships between humans and the natural world around them and how these relationships affect human health. Edith Heard is an advocate of tackling the challenges posed by climate change and the associated biodiversity loss from the perspective of the life sciences.
Heard began conducting research in epigenetics during her doctoral studies when the field was only just emerging. During her early work, she investigated the causes of gene amplification – an increase in the number of copies of the same gene – which often occurs in tumour cells. She then went on to research the epigenetic process of X-chromosome inactivation (XCI), which is where one of the two X chromosomes is largely or fully silenced during embryonic development. The scientist’s research group was one of the first to be able to demonstrate that this epigenetic process exhibits both stability and considerable plasticity.
Heard is particularly interested in researching the fundamental principles of gene regulation, especially the role of non-coding RNA during the development process and the onset of diseases.
In more recent years, she has also turned her attention to the serious global ramifications of biodiversity loss. To date, scientists have primarily focused on using physical and chemical measures to address these dramatic changes, with a tendency for the life sciences to be under-represented. Heard believes, however, that the life sciences offer much potential for us to gain an understanding of fundamental life processes from the cellular to the planetary level. In-depth knowledge about the interactions between different species could help scientists to model future developments and identify courses of action. Heard’s team is also involved in developing genomic and metabolic markers that can be used to keep a closer eye on the development of ecosystems.
As the Director General of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heard is committed to fostering close European and international cooperation. She also supports researchers working under difficult political and economic conditions in their home country or in exile.