Magdalena Skipper

Magdalena Skipper is a British microbiologist and scientific editor who served as Editor-in-Chief of the journal Nature. She is noted for work at the intersection of microbial genetics, publishing, and science policy, and for leadership roles at Springer Nature, the Royal Society, and international research communities.

Early life and education

Skipper was born in the United Kingdom and read natural sciences and genetics at the University of Cambridge where she completed doctoral research in microbiology. During postgraduate training she worked in laboratories associated with the Francis Crick Institute, the Wellcome Trust, and collaborators in the British biomedical network, developing expertise in bacterial genetics and molecular biology. Her doctoral supervisors and academic mentors included researchers connected to Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, and members of the Biochemical Society and Genetics Society. Early training connected her with European initiatives such as the European Molecular Biology Laboratory and funding bodies like the National Institute for Health and Care Research.

Research and academic career

Skipper's research focused on bacterial physiology, antimicrobial resistance, and functional genomics, producing work that intersected with laboratories at the University of Oxford, the Wellcome Sanger Institute, and the European Bioinformatics Institute. She contributed to projects employing techniques from molecular cloning to whole-genome sequencing used by groups at the Institut Pasteur and Max Planck Society. Her publications engaged with topics investigated by teams at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Public Health England, and academic consortia including the Human Microbiome Project and the International Society for Microbial Ecology. Collaborations and peer-reviewed articles linked to institutional partners such as the Medical Research Council, Royal Society, and clinical networks at St Thomas' Hospital.

Editorial career and tenure at Nature

Skipper transitioned from bench science to scientific publishing, joining the editorial staff of Nature, part of Springer Nature, where she rose through roles including senior editor and deputy editor before becoming Editor-in-Chief. In her editorial capacity she interacted with editorial offices across publishing houses like Elsevier, Wiley-Blackwell, and Taylor & Francis, and coordinated with advisory boards comprising members from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, European Research Council, and major universities such as Harvard University and Stanford University. Her stewardship of Nature involved policy decisions that referenced standards from organisations including the Committee on Publication Ethics, the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, and metrics monitored by Clarivate Analytics and Scopus. During her tenure she oversaw coverage of breakthroughs reported from laboratories at the CERN, the Large Hadron Collider, and clinical trials registered with the World Health Organization and regulatory agencies like the European Medicines Agency and the Food and Drug Administration. She engaged with publishing initiatives such as open access policies advocated by the Plan S coalition and negotiations involving funders including the Wellcome Trust, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Advocacy, policy and public engagement

Skipper has advocated for research integrity, reproducibility, and diversity in science, engaging with institutions like the Royal Society, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the European Commission on research policy. She has spoken at conferences organised by groups such as the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the World Economic Forum, and the Gordon Research Conferences, and contributed to panels alongside representatives from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and national academies including the Academy of Medical Sciences. Skipper promoted initiatives addressing gender equity with organisations like Women in Science, the International Women's Forum, and funders including the European Research Council and National Institutes of Health. Public engagement activities connected her with science communication platforms such as the BBC, Nature Communications, and science festivals hosted by institutions like the Science Museum and British Science Association.

Awards and honours

Skipper's professional recognition includes appointments and mentions by bodies such as the Royal Society, the Academy of Medical Sciences, and editorial acknowledgments within publishing associations including the European Association of Science Editors and the World Association of Medical Editors. Her leadership at Nature was noted in listings by media outlets including The Guardian, The New York Times, and The Times (London), and by academic indices tracked by Google Scholar and Web of Science.

Category:British microbiologists Category:Scientific editors