Peter Mansfield
Encyclopedia
Sir Peter Mansfield, FRS
, (born 9 October 1933), is a British
physicist
who was awarded the 2003 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
for his discoveries concerning magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI). The Nobel Prize was shared with Paul Lauterbur
, who also contributed to the development of MRI. Sir Peter is a professor at the University of Nottingham
.
The Nobel Prize in Physics
in 1952, which went to Felix Bloch
and Edward Purcell
, was for the development of nuclear magnetic resonance
(NMR), the scientific principle behind MRI. For decades magnetic resonance was used mainly for studying the chemical structure of substances, and Mansfield's first project in this field was to develop a portable, transistorised Earth's field NMR
(EFNMR) spectrometer in the late 1950s.
It was not until the 1970s with Damadian's, Lauterbur's and Mansfield's developments that NMR could be used to produce images of the body.
Mansfield is credited with showing how the radio signals from MRI can be mathematically analyzed, making interpretation of the signals into a useful image a possibility. He is also credited with discovering how fast imaging could be possible by developing the MRI protocol called echo-planar imaging. Echo-planar imaging allows T2* weighted images to be collected many times faster than previously possible. It also has made functional magnetic resonance imaging
(fMRI) feasible.
Mansfield came from humble beginnings in South East London, attending secondary school in Peckham
. He left school at 15, and became a printer. He took A levels in night school. He then studied physics at Queen Mary College, London
, graduating with a BSc
in 1959 and a PhD
in 1962.
He has worked in the Department of Physics at the University of Nottingham
since 1964.
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, (born 9 October 1933), is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
who was awarded the 2003 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine administered by the Nobel Foundation, is awarded once a year for outstanding discoveries in the field of life science and medicine. It is one of five Nobel Prizes established in 1895 by Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, in his will...
for his discoveries concerning magnetic resonance imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging , nuclear magnetic resonance imaging , or magnetic resonance tomography is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to visualize detailed internal structures...
(MRI). The Nobel Prize was shared with Paul Lauterbur
Paul Lauterbur
Paul Christian Lauterbur was an American chemist who shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2003 with Peter Mansfield for his work which made the development of magnetic resonance imaging possible.Dr...
, who also contributed to the development of MRI. Sir Peter is a professor at the University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
.
The Nobel Prize in Physics
Nobel Prize in Physics
The Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded once a year by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895 and awarded since 1901; the others are the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Nobel Prize in Literature, Nobel Peace Prize, and...
in 1952, which went to Felix Bloch
Felix Bloch
Felix Bloch was a Swiss physicist, working mainly in the U.S.-Life and work:Bloch was born in Zürich, Switzerland to Jewish parents Gustav and Agnes Bloch. He was educated there and at the Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule, also in Zürich. Initially studying engineering he soon changed to physics...
and Edward Purcell
Edward Mills Purcell
Edward Mills Purcell was an American physicist who shared the 1952 Nobel Prize for Physics for his independent discovery of nuclear magnetic resonance in liquids and in solids. Nuclear magnetic resonance has become widely used to study the molecular structure of pure materials and the...
, was for the development of nuclear magnetic resonance
Nuclear magnetic resonance
Nuclear magnetic resonance is a physical phenomenon in which magnetic nuclei in a magnetic field absorb and re-emit electromagnetic radiation...
(NMR), the scientific principle behind MRI. For decades magnetic resonance was used mainly for studying the chemical structure of substances, and Mansfield's first project in this field was to develop a portable, transistorised Earth's field NMR
Earth's field NMR
Nuclear magnetic resonance in the geomagnetic field is conventionally referred to as Earth's field NMR . EFNMR is a special case of low field NMR....
(EFNMR) spectrometer in the late 1950s.
It was not until the 1970s with Damadian's, Lauterbur's and Mansfield's developments that NMR could be used to produce images of the body.
Mansfield is credited with showing how the radio signals from MRI can be mathematically analyzed, making interpretation of the signals into a useful image a possibility. He is also credited with discovering how fast imaging could be possible by developing the MRI protocol called echo-planar imaging. Echo-planar imaging allows T2* weighted images to be collected many times faster than previously possible. It also has made functional magnetic resonance imaging
Functional magnetic resonance imaging
Functional magnetic resonance imaging or functional MRI is a type of specialized MRI scan used to measure the hemodynamic response related to neural activity in the brain or spinal cord of humans or other animals. It is one of the most recently developed forms of neuroimaging...
(fMRI) feasible.
Mansfield came from humble beginnings in South East London, attending secondary school in Peckham
Peckham
Peckham is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Southwark. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
. He left school at 15, and became a printer. He took A levels in night school. He then studied physics at Queen Mary College, London
Queen Mary, University of London
Queen Mary, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
, graduating with a BSc
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in 1959 and a PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in 1962.
He has worked in the Department of Physics at the University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
since 1964.
Awards and honours
- 1983 Gold Medal of the Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
- 1984 Joint award of the Royal Society Welcome Foundation Gold Medal and Prize.
- 1986 Elected Fellow of Queen Mary College (now Queen Mary and Westfield College), London University
- 1987 Elected Fellow of the Royal SocietyRoyal SocietyThe Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, London - 1987 Elected President of the Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
- 1988 Awarded Duddell Medal and PrizeDuddell Medal and PrizeThe Duddell Medal and Prize was a prize awarded annually by the Institute of Physics in the memory of William du Bois Duddell, the inventor of the electromagnetic oscillograph. The medal was instituted by the Council of The Physical Society in 1923. Between 1961 and 1973 the prize was awarded in...
by the Institute of PhysicsInstitute of PhysicsThe Institute of Physics is a scientific charity devoted to increasing the practice, understanding and application of physics. It has a worldwide membership of around 40,000.... - 1988 Awarded Silvanus Thompson Medal by the British Institute of Radiology.
- 1989 Antoine Béclère Medal from the International Society of Radiology and the Antoine Béclère Institute in Paris.
- 1990 Royal SocietyRoyal SocietyThe Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
Mullard AwardMullard AwardThe Mullard Award is awarded annually by the Royal Society to a person who has "an outstanding academic record in any field of natural science, engineering or technology and whose contribution is currently making or has the potential to make a contribution to national prosperity in Britain." It was...
(joint with John Mallard & Jim Hutchinson) - 1992 International Society of Magnetic Resonance (ISMAR) prize (joint with P. Lauterbur)
- 1993 Knighted
- 1993 Silver Plaque of the European Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and Biology.
- 1993 Elected Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Radiology and Honorary Member of the British Institute of Radiology
- 1994 Elected Honorary Member of the Society of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Fellow of the Society of Magnetic Resonance
- 1995 Garmisch-Partenkirchen Prize for MRI.
- 1995 Gold Medal of the European Congress of RadiologyEuropean Congress of RadiologyFounded in 1967, the European Congress of Radiology was first held every four years in different locations. However, the idea of developing a new type of congress became more intensively discussed as the quadrennial basis and the ever changing location did not allow for the creation of a consistent...
and the European Association of RadiologyEuropean Society of RadiologyFounded in 2005, the European Society of Radiology is dedicated to promoting and coordinating the scientific, philanthropic, intellectual and professional activities of radiology in all European countries...
. - 1997 Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Physics
- 2003 Nobel PrizeNobel PrizeThe Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
for Medicine with Paul LauterburPaul LauterburPaul Christian Lauterbur was an American chemist who shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2003 with Peter Mansfield for his work which made the development of magnetic resonance imaging possible.Dr...
.
External links
- University of Nottingham: Peter Mansfield homepage
- Nobel Prize 2003 Press Release
- Appearance on Desert Island DiscsDesert Island DiscsDesert Island Discs is a BBC Radio 4 programme first broadcast on 29 January 1942. It is the second longest-running radio programme , and is the longest-running factual programme in the history of radio...
- Peter Mansfield US Patents
- Peter Mansfield autobiography