Margaret Tisdale (née Breeze; 10 September 1950[citation needed] – 29 April 2015) was a Welsh-born clinical virologist known for her studies of antiviral resistance in HIV and influenza virus, and for coordinating the development of the anti-influenza drug zanamivir.[1][2]
Born in Welshpool, Tisdale was educated at Trefnanney School and Welshpool Comprehensive, before attending Guildford University.[2]
Tisdale spent 33 years as a researcher at the Wellcome Research Laboratories, GlaxoWellcome and GlaxoSmithKline, where she eventually became head of clinical virology.[1][2] She was an expert in HIV drug resistance and in optimising antiretroviral therapy.[1] Tisdale headed the development of the influenza neuraminidase inhibitor zanamivir,[1] which Glaxo licensed from Biota in 1990. She established the global Neuraminidase Inhibitor Susceptibility Network in 1999 to track resistance to neuraminidase inhibitors in clinical strains of influenza virus.[1] She also published on antiviral drugs against rhinovirus, which causes the common cold.[3]
She died aged 64 in Wrestlingworth, Bedfordshire.[4]