While her mother is a household name from television, Dr Katie King is making waves in the world of science. The 32-year-old nanoscientist attended the inaugural Global Space Awards on Friday, representing her pioneering company, BioOrbit.
A Different Path to Stardom
Dr King has deliberately chosen not to follow in the famous footsteps of her mother, veteran TV presenter Carol Vorderman. Instead of a career in front of the camera, she pursued academia, obtaining a PhD in nanotechnology from Cambridge University. Her company, BioOrbit, was a finalist in the Sustainability for Earth category at the prestigious awards ceremony.
Carol Vorderman, whose career spans over 40 years, began on daytime TV in 1982. She rose to fame on shows like Countdown, Loose Women, and This Morning. More recently, she has presented the Pride of Britain Awards and was a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing in 2004.
Groundbreaking Work in Cancer Research
Dr King's work is focused on revolutionary cancer treatments. She has worked for NASA and earlier this year addressed the Select Committee at the House of Lords about BioOrbit's ambitious plans. The company aims to use zero-gravity production to change the face of cancer treatment.
If successful, this innovation could allow cancer patients to inject drugs at home, eliminating the need for lengthy hospital visits for intravenous drips every few weeks. This represents a potential paradigm shift in patient care and quality of life.
A Close Mother-Daughter Bond
Despite their different career paths, Carol Vorderman and her daughter share a close bond. They most recently attended the Women Of The Year awards together in October 2023. Vorderman has never been shy about expressing her pride in her daughter's achievements.
In 2022, after Katie earned her doctorate, Carol celebrated on Instagram, writing: "single parenting ain't that bad after all" and revealing her first born could "now call herself DOCTOR KATIE KING." She described her daughter as a "Science. Grafter. Brilliant. Scientist. Funny. Stunning."
Meanwhile, Carol Vorderman herself has been in the headlines, having been axed from her BBC Radio Wales show in 2023 for breaching the broadcaster's social media guidelines after refusing to stop posting her anti-Tory views online. She has since become more vocal about her political stances on LBC and social media.
The story of Dr Katie King is one of intellectual ambition and scientific dedication, proving that legacy can be built in laboratories as well as on television screens.
