{{Short description|Microbial ecologist}} [[File:Mary (Molly) Marples.jpg|thumb|Dr Mary (Molly) Marples née Ransford. Otago Daily Times 13/05/1949]]'''Mary (Molly) Joyce Marples''' (née '''Ransford'''; 1908 - 1998) was a microbial ecologist/medical mycologist who spent most of her career conducting research and teaching at the University of Otago in New Zealand from her appointment in 1946 until her retirement in 1967.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=https://otagomicrobes.com/category/The-inside-story/?order=asc|title=Microbiology Memoirs|date=28 January 2016 |access-date=7 September 2022}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Marples, Mary Joyce, 1908- |url=https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22389801 |access-date=2022-09-07 |website=natlib.govt.nz}}</ref> She is noted as an early proponent of the theory that skin provides an ecosystem that supports a diversity of microorganisms.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Cundell |first1=AM |title=Microbial Ecology of the Human Skin. |journal=Microbial Ecology |date=July 2018 |volume=76 |issue=1 |pages=113–120 |doi=10.1007/s00248-016-0789-6 |pmid=27245597|bibcode=2018MicEc..76..113C |s2cid=15815490 }}</ref> ==Life==

Marples was born in Kalimpong in northern India; her parents were missionaries there.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> She was educated in England and completed a degree in zoology at Somerville College, Oxford.<ref name=":0" />

In 1931 Molly married Brian John Marples.<ref name=":0" />

==See also== * Marples, M. J. (1965). The ecology of the human skin. ''Springfield, Illinois Thomas'' <ref>{{cite book |last1=Marples |first1=MJ |title=The ecology of the human skin |date=1965 |publisher=Springfield, Illinois Thomas}}</ref> * Marples, M. J. (1969). Life on the human skin. ''Scientific American''. <ref>{{cite journal |last1=Marples |first1=MJ |title=Life on the human skin. |journal=Scientific American |date=January 1969 |volume=220 |issue=1 |pages=108–15 |doi=10.1038/scientificamerican0169-108 |pmid=5761729|bibcode=1969SciAm.220a.108M }}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:Academic staff of the University of Otago Category:New Zealand microbiologists Category:20th-century New Zealand scientists Category:20th-century New Zealand biologists {{Authority control}} {{NewZealand-academic-bio-stub}} {{NewZealand-biologist-stub}} Category:Alumni of Somerville College, Oxford Category:1908 births Category:1998 deaths