Janet Niven

Who is Janet Niven?

Janet Simpson Ferguson Niven FCPath, was a British histologist and pathologist.

Janet Niven graduated from the University of Glasgow with a first class Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degree in 1925. She was the first woman to win the Brunton Memorial Prize, awarded to the most distinguished medical graduate each year. During her time working at the University of Glasgow, she was awarded the Faulds Research Fellowship; the McCunn Scholarship; and the Carnegie Research Fellowship. In 1932 she was awarded an MD for her research on tissue culture and became a lecturer in the Pathology Department as well as working as an assistant pathologist at the Western Infirmary. In 1967, she was awarded an honorary LL.D by the University of Glasgow, traditionally awarded for a portfolio of advanced research.

During the Second World War, Niven joined the Royal Army Medical Corps as a pathologist and rose to the rank of Major. Her work included the preparation of viruses to study common diseases and vaccine against scrub fever for the soldiers.