Dr Ann Silver studied physiology at Edinburgh University where she completed a PhD (1960) as an external student whilst carrying out research at the Agricultural Research Council Institute of Animal Physiology at Babraham, Cambridgeshire. Her research involved electrophysiological studies of nerve fibres exposed to organophosphorous compounds and also the transport of choline acetyltransferase down nerves. Dr Silver’s book, Biology of Cholinesterases (1974), was an important source of information, ideas and inspiration for a generation of cholinesterase researchers. She later laid the foundations for the ‘cholinergic hypothesis’ of Alzheimer’s disease, which led to the development of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors to treat it. She has been ethical editor on the Journal of Physiology and was involved in drafting the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, which regulates the ways in which animal experimentation is conducted in the UK.

Latest episodes of the podcast Dr Ann Silver - Audio

• 19. Ethical matters - Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986
• 18. Ethical matters ethical editor on the Journal of Physiology
• 17. Ethical matters out of the lab to become Information Officer
• 16. The Biology of Cholinesterases, North Holland American Elsevier, 1974 comprehensive review of function and distribution of cholinesterases in vertebrates and invertebrates
• 15. Anticholinesterases DFP and safety precautions
• 14. Anticholinesterases organophosphorous toxicity and an incident in Morocco, 1959
• 13. Butyrylcholinesterase a connection with Alzheimer's disease
• 12. Acetylcholine transmission in the CNS (with Krnjevic)
• 11. Iontophoresis and cholinesterase staining working with Shute and Lewis
• 10. Iontophoresis and cholinesterase staining working with Kris Krnjevic, round the clock
• 9. Iontophoresis and cholinesterase staining from electric to chemical nerve transmission
• 8. Mapping the enzymes in the CNS choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) investigating the nerve transport mechanism
• 7. Mapping the enzymes in the CNS choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) solving the rate-limiting substrate problem
• 6. The acetylcholine system
• 5. Agricultural Research Council (ARC), Babraham, Cambridgeshire no such thing as a good woman in science
• 4. Agricultural Research Council (ARC), Babraham, Cambridgeshire first directors and scientists
• 3. Agricultural Research Council (ARC), Babraham, Cambridgeshire laboratories and the care of animals
• 2. BSc (Hons) 1954, PhD 1960 controversy about organophosphorous compounds
• 1. Edinburgh University, BSc (Hons) 1954, PhD 1960 physiology and the construction of Henrietta