Ann Chester Chandley

Ann Chester Chandley DSc, F.I.Biol., FRSE (died 19 February 2020) was an international cytogeneticist with the Medical Research Council unit which became the Human Genetics Unit at the University of Edinburgh. She became a Fellow of the Institute of Biology in recognition of her contribution and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Her work with Tim Hargreave on the impact of chromosomal variants on fertility, and studying the Y-chromosome using new techniques. Researching with Kun Ma, Chandley found an RNA binding protein, gene RBMY on the Y-chromosome which 'may be involved in regulating germline splicing activity'. Due to the interest in causes of male infertility, she studied 1600 infertile males, and undertook technical projects on a subset. Her work with Roger Short and Twink Allen included the first description of the mechanism which caused infertility in horses and mules and hybrids, which helped her become an advisor to hybrid-breeders and visiting in China and Mongolia.

When she was due to retire in 1997, a tribute and appreciation Festschrift celebration was held, and contributions were sought from fellow scientists in Manchester, Salisbury, Abingdon, Cambridge, Kew, Wirral and Leicester as well as Germany and Sweden. and wrote to the press to comment on current Scottish political affairs including supporting free transport and speaking out for currency policy in the 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum.