Christine Mccartney Obituary

My friend and erstwhile workfellow Christine McCartney, who has died aged 79, was a distinguished aesculapian microbiologist and a tireless champion of nationalist wellness microbiology.

As executive head of nan Health Protection Agency’s Regional Microbiology Network, Christine played a cardinal domiciled successful strengthening nan links betwixt laboratory microbiology and epidemiology, recognising that effective nationalist wellness responses depended connected nan 2 disciplines moving intimately together. She championed nan early take of whole-genome sequencing, collaborating pinch scientists astatine nan universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Leeds and Birmingham, arsenic good arsenic astatine nan Wellcome Sanger Institute successful Cambridgeshire.

Her activity was peculiarly visible pursuing nan 2006 poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko pinch polonium-210. As portion of nan master advisory excavation supporting nan authorities situation consequence committee (Cobra), Christine interpreted method findings and advised connected nationalist wellness risk. In 2007, she was made OBE.

Born and brought up successful Glasgow, Christine was nan elder girl of Margaret (nee Keiller) and Donald McNiven, a publican. Although neither of her parents had an world background, she was wished to prosecute higher acquisition and, aft Victoria Drive secondary school, graduated from nan University of Glasgow successful 1967 pinch a grade successful microbiology. She remained location arsenic a investigation adjunct and later lecturer, during which clip she met Bill McCartney, a chap lecturer, whom she joined successful 1974.

For her PhD, she investigated nan properties of staphylococcal delta-toxin and went connected to people galore technological papers. In 1978 she was elected a chap of nan Royal College of Pathologists. She later co-authored nan textbook Notes connected Medical Microbiology (2002).

I first met Christine successful 1994, erstwhile she took up a station arsenic adjunct head astatine nan Central Public Health Laboratory, nether nan aegis of nan Public Health Laboratory Service, successful Colindale, north-west London, wherever I besides worked. Following nan incorporation of nan PHLS into nan HPA successful 2003, Christine became executive head of nan Regional Microbiology Network.

Although she formally retired from nan HPA successful 2012, her expertise remained successful demand. She returned first arsenic elder advisor to Duncan Selbie, past nan main executive of Public Health England, and later served arsenic PHE’s master lead for scientists.

Christine was an inspirational leader who ever made clip for colleagues and ensured that group felt valued. She mixed a common-sense attack pinch a determination to find solutions, and her feedback was nonstop but constructive. Those who worked pinch her will besides callback that her proposal occasionally extended beyond science; ever impeccably turned retired herself, she believed that professionalism should beryllium reflected successful quality arsenic good arsenic work.

Christine was warm, thoughtful and awesome nosy and we remained adjacent friends. Living successful Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, she and Bill shared a fondness for luxury cars, lavish holidays and good dining. Christine liked to joke that it mightiness person been her Triumph Spitfire that first caught Bill’s eye.

Diagnosed pinch crab successful 2020, she continued to activity into 2021, until nan Covid-19 pandemic made it difficult for her to proceed nan ambassadorial domiciled she had undertaken successful caller years.

She is survived by Bill.