The world of science has lost a formidable pioneer and mentor with the death of Dr Nancy Lane Perham OBE, aged 89. A renowned electron microscopist and cell biologist at the University of Cambridge, Perham dedicated her life to research and to shattering glass ceilings for women in STEM fields.
From Halifax to Cambridge: A Scientific Journey Forged Against the Odds
Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Nancy was the daughter of a journalist, Frances Gilbert, and a civil servant, Temple Lane. Her scientific ambition faced an early, blunt setback at Queen Elizabeth High School, where she was informed that women could only aspire to be lab technicians, not scientists. This dismissive attitude only strengthened her resolve.
She defiantly pursued cell biology at Dalhousie University, graduating in 1958, and later earned a master's degree. Her exceptional talent was recognised with the prestigious Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire scholarship and the Governor General’s Gold Medal, paving her way to a DPhil at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, which she completed in 1963.
A postdoctoral position at Yale University followed, where she met fellow scientist Richard Perham. They married in 1969 and moved to Britain the following year when Richard took up a research post in Cambridge's biochemistry department.
A Flamboyant Force for Change at Girton and Beyond
Nancy Perham joined the University of Cambridge's Department of Zoology in 1970 and became a fellow of Girton College. She quickly established herself as an outspoken and flamboyant presence, helping to lead the college into a new era. Her impact on students was profound and lifelong, fuelled not just by her infectious enthusiasm for biology, but by her active championing of careers for women.
Her academic rigour was unquestionable, resulting in the publication of more than 100 papers in scientific journals throughout her career. But her legacy extends far beyond the laboratory. Perham became the first director of the Women in Science, Engineering and Technology (WiSET) Initiative in Cambridge and was instrumental in setting up and running the UK-wide Athena Swan Project, which aims to advance gender equality in STEM. For these services to science, she was appointed OBE in 1994.
Where Science Met Art: A Creative Legacy
Nancy Perham's creativity was not confined to science. She was also an accomplished painter, working in oils and acrylics to create artistic interpretations of the cellular structures and interactions she studied so closely. Her scientific art graced the covers of journals and was exhibited at the Royal Academy of Art's Summer Exhibition in 1995.
Richard Perham died in 2015. Nancy is survived by her two children, Quentin and the author of the original obituary, her two grandchildren, Isabella and Tristan, and her sisters, Elise and Susan. Through her family, her students, and the countless women she inspired in laboratories and lecture halls, Nancy Perham's pioneering spirit endures.
