John B. West
Encyclopedia
John B. West M.D., Ph.D., D.Sc. is a noted respiratory physiologist who made major research contributions in the area of ventilation-perfusion relationships in the lung.
He was born in Adelaide
, Australia
in 1928. He graduated in medicine (M.B.B.S., 1952) from the University of Adelaide
, Australia.
Subsequently he was awarded M.D. (1959) and D.Sc. (1980) degrees from the same university.
He worked at Hammersmith Hospital in London in 1960 and received his Ph.D. degree from London University in the same year.
As a physiologist, he joined Sir Edmund Hillary's Himalayan scientific and mountaineering expedition in 1960-61.
Twenty years later, he led the 1981 American Medical Research Expedition to Mt Everest.
After working as a postdoctoral fellow with Hermann Rahn
at Buffalo
in 1961-62, he returned to London as Director of the Respiratory Research Group at Postgraduate Medical School (1962-67) and was promoted to University Reader there in 1968.
After sabbatical leave at the NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, California
in 1968, he was invited to join
the faculty of the new School of Medicine at the University of California at San Diego as professor of medicine and physiology.
Other roles include those with the NIH Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Study Section (1971-75; chairman, 1973-75),
the Physiology Committee of the National Board of Medical Examiners (1973-76),
and the Cardiopulmonary Council of AHA (1977-78).
After election to membership in American Physiological Society
in 1970 and to Council in 1981, in 1983 he became president elect, and became the 57th APS President for 1984-85.
For NASA
he has been chairman of the Science Verification Committee for Spacelab
in 1983 and a member of their Advisory Committee on Scientific Uses of Space Station in 1984. Also in that year he served as a member of a NAS Committee on Space Biology.
Since it was first published in 1974, his book, "Respiratory Physiology: the Essentials" (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins) has become the most widely used introductory text in respiratory physiology
. It has been translated into at least 17 languages.
He has held nearly twenty endowed lectureships, including
He was born in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1928. He graduated in medicine (M.B.B.S., 1952) from the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
, Australia.
Subsequently he was awarded M.D. (1959) and D.Sc. (1980) degrees from the same university.
He worked at Hammersmith Hospital in London in 1960 and received his Ph.D. degree from London University in the same year.
As a physiologist, he joined Sir Edmund Hillary's Himalayan scientific and mountaineering expedition in 1960-61.
Twenty years later, he led the 1981 American Medical Research Expedition to Mt Everest.
After working as a postdoctoral fellow with Hermann Rahn
Hermann Rahn
Hermann Rahn was an early leader in the field of environmental physiology. Starting out in the field of zoology with a PhD from University of Rochester , Rahn began teaching physiology at the University of Rochester in 1941. It was there that he partnered with Wallace O. Fenn to publish A...
at Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
in 1961-62, he returned to London as Director of the Respiratory Research Group at Postgraduate Medical School (1962-67) and was promoted to University Reader there in 1968.
After sabbatical leave at the NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1968, he was invited to join
the faculty of the new School of Medicine at the University of California at San Diego as professor of medicine and physiology.
Other roles include those with the NIH Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Study Section (1971-75; chairman, 1973-75),
the Physiology Committee of the National Board of Medical Examiners (1973-76),
and the Cardiopulmonary Council of AHA (1977-78).
After election to membership in American Physiological Society
American Physiological Society
The American Physiological Society was founded in 1887 with 28 members. Of them, 21 were graduates of medical schools, but only 12 had studied in schools that had a professor of physiology. Today, the APS has 10,500 members, most of whom hold doctoral degrees in medicine, physiology or other...
in 1970 and to Council in 1981, in 1983 he became president elect, and became the 57th APS President for 1984-85.
For NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
he has been chairman of the Science Verification Committee for Spacelab
Spacelab
Spacelab was a reusable laboratory used on certain spaceflights flown by the Space Shuttle. The laboratory consisted of multiple components, including a pressurized module, an unpressurized carrier and other related hardware housed in the Shuttle's cargo bay...
in 1983 and a member of their Advisory Committee on Scientific Uses of Space Station in 1984. Also in that year he served as a member of a NAS Committee on Space Biology.
Since it was first published in 1974, his book, "Respiratory Physiology: the Essentials" (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins) has become the most widely used introductory text in respiratory physiology
Respiratory physiology
Respiratory physiology is the branch of human physiology focusing upon respiration.Topics include:-Volumes:* lung volumes* vital capacity* functional residual capacity* dead space* spirometry* body plethysmography* peak flow meter-Mechanics:...
. It has been translated into at least 17 languages.
Awards
Awards include:- Josiah H. Macy, Jr., Foundation Scholar, in 1974
- Ernst Jung PrizeErnst Jung PrizeThe Ernst Jung Prize is a prize awarded annually for excellence in biomedical sciences. The Ernst Jung Foundation, funded by Hamburg merchant Ernst Jung in 1967 grants the Ernst Jung Prize in Medicine, now € 300,000, since 1976 and the lifetime achievement Ernst Jung Gold Medal for Medicine since...
for Medicine in Hamburg, West Germany, in 1977 - Presidential Citation of the American College of Chest Physicians in 1977
- Kaiser Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1980
He has held nearly twenty endowed lectureships, including
- the Wiltshire Memorial Lectureship at King's College, London (1971);
- the Brailsford Robertson Memorial Lectureship at Adelaide University (1978);
- the Brompton Annual Lectureship at Brompton Hospital, London (1979);
- the Harveian Lectureship in London (1981);
- a Centenary Lectureship at Auckland, New Zealand (1983); and
- Telford Memorial Lectureship at Manchester University in England (1983).
Major Research Areas
He has numerous research publications, predominantly in the following areas of pulmonary physiology:- Investigation of pulmonary function, particularly ventilation-perfusion relationships.
- Measurement of inequality of ventilation and blood flow in the lung by using short-lived radioactive gases.
- High-altitude physiology.
- Analysis of pulmonary gas exchange, particularly ventilation-perfusion relationships.
- Effects of gravity on lung mechanics.