My world: Scientific director Dr Lulu Skidmore

I believe camels, like human beings, [have] personalities.

They can be temperamental. But that said, my girls aren't. They are polite, courteous and very affectionate! Of course they can be stubborn but it all depends on who is handling them. However, what strikes me as truly amazing is that in the peak of summer, when we are rushing about trying to stay indoors and avoid the sun, how resilient the camel is, how enduring, how timeless… It can remain in 45 degree temperatures and look serene, surviving on so little food and water. (The Camel Reproduction Centre has a large number of females, primarily to facilitate better riding stock through embryo transplants.)

I was born Julian Alexandra Skidmore.

But thanks to my sister, who could not say Julian when she was young and said Luli instead, I became "Lulu" to her and my friends. Now I hardly ever get called Julian! I attribute my innate love for animals to my early years back home in Hampshire. We had rabbits, horses, canaries, ponies... my parents brought our first pony when I was seven years old.

My one real love was to pursue a career in [something to do with] horses.

I have to say, my parents were wonderful. They never tried to stop me. But after doing a British Horse Society Assistant Instructor (BHSAI) Certificate, I realised that I did not want to teach other people to ride horses all my life. Mum and dad were relieved that I was going to do something more serious with my life after all.

After completing my initial BSc (Hons) degree in animal science at London University at Wye College - where I had a thoroughly good time, and made enduring friends, some of whom I am in touch with even today - I worked in South Africa for one year on a thoroughbred stud farm. I then spent five years working with Professor W R (Twink) Allen at the Equine Fertility Unit, Newmarket, as a research assistant working on several projects involved with all aspects of equine reproduction, in particular developing techniques for embryo bisection as well as embryo freezing and thawing.

In 1991, I registered at Cambridge University and started my PhD project titled "Reproduction in the dromedary camel" under Twink's supervision. It was a blissful way to do a doctoral research - six months of the year in winter at the Camel Reproduction Centre in Dubai doing the practical work and six months in summer at the Equine Fertility Unit in Cambridge doing the lab work.

After completing my PhD, I stayed on as scientific director of the Camel Reproduction Centre to continue our projects here, which involve all aspects of camel reproduction.

One of our projects has been to try and develop hybrids between New and Old World camelids.

We were successful in 1998 with the birth of "Rama the Cama", the first ever live hybrid between New (llamas, guanacos) and Old (camels) World camelids. We now have four camas. Both camas have a camel Dad and guanaco or llama Mum. We have also developed micromanipulation skills to bisect embryos in half and produce identical twins and the first pair, Zahi and Bahi, produced in Dubai were born in February 2008. We have also been the first lab to produce the first cloned camel, Injaz, in 2009, so yes, many feathers in the CRC cap!

The things I will always cherish about Dubai are the friends I've made here.

When you have no family around, you tend to bank rather heavily on your friends, and they've always been so varied, and dependable. Also, I never cease to be amazed by the rolling sand dunes and the flora and fauna in the UAE.

I would really love to implement the technique for camel hybrids in developing countries.

The camel would be able to provide more milk and meat than any cow or goat would, in India, Africa, Pakistan…..and could be a great solution to world hunger.

Quick questions

What do you miss about home?

Things I still miss about home are the valleys, meadows, lakes, going off to visit friends in Scotland or some other part of the country, and of course family. We are a very close-knit family.

When did you get married?

I got married about a year-and-a-half ago to James Berry, a lawyer, who has his own practice in Dubai. Getting married has meant a change of pace, not at work, which has to remain the same, but now there's someone to share the happiness.

Apart from camels, what do you like?

Apart from horses and camels, I love music. My grandmother was a concert pianist and mother could play by ear. I have also recently been encouraged to learn golf, as my husband plays the game.

Do you have an interesting story? friday@gulfnews.com