June Almeida

June Dalziel Almeida died 2007

June Almeida
Born	June Dalziel Hart 5 October 1930 Glasgow, Scotland
Died	1 December 2007 Bexhill-on-Sea, England
Nationality	Scottish
Known for	Pioneering work in viral imaging and identification of the coronavirus
Scientific career
Fields	Virology
Institutions	St Thomas' Hospital, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Wellcome Research Laboratories

June Dalziel Almeida (5 October 1930 – 1 December 2007) was a Scottish virologist who made significant contributions to the field of viral imaging and the identification of the coronavirus. Her innovative techniques in electron microscopy have had a lasting impact on the study of viruses.

Early Life and Education

June Almeida was born June Dalziel Hart on 5 October 1930 in Glasgow, Scotland. She grew up in a working-class family and showed an early interest in science. Despite her academic potential, she left school at the age of 16 due to financial constraints and began working as a laboratory technician.

Career

Early Career

Almeida started her career as a laboratory technician in Glasgow Royal Infirmary. She later moved to London where she worked at St Thomas' Hospital. It was here that she honed her skills in electron microscopy.

Breakthrough in Virology

In the 1960s, Almeida moved to Canada to work at the Ontario Cancer Institute in Toronto. Her work there led to significant advancements in the field of virology. She developed innovative techniques for visualizing viruses using electron microscopy, which allowed for the detailed study of viral structures.

Identification of Coronavirus

One of Almeida's most notable achievements was the identification of the coronavirus. In 1966, while working at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School in London, she used her imaging techniques to identify and describe the structure of the virus, which was later named the coronavirus due to its crown-like appearance.

Later Career

Almeida continued her work in virology at the Wellcome Research Laboratories in Beckenham, Kent. She published numerous papers and contributed to the understanding of various viral diseases.

Personal Life

June Almeida married Enriques Almeida, a Venezuelan artist, and they had one daughter. She passed away on 1 December 2007 in Bexhill-on-Sea, England.

Legacy

June Almeida's pioneering work in virology has had a lasting impact on the field. Her techniques in electron microscopy are still used today, and her identification of the coronavirus has proven to be of immense importance, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

See Also

• Virology
• Electron microscopy
• Coronavirus
• COVID-19 pandemic