Roderic Alfred Gregory
Encyclopedia
Roderic Alfred Gregory CBE
FRS (29 December 1913 - 5 September 1990) was a British biologist.
He was born in 1913 in Plaistow, London, the only child of Alfred Gregory and Alice Jane (née Greaves) Gregory. His father was a fitter and turner who, in 1913, was employed by Brunner and Monde (later Imperial Chemical Industries
). At the age of 11 he started at the local grammar school, George Green's School.
He then trained as a physiologist in the Department of Physiology at University College, London in the early 1930s and then studied gastrointestinal physiology for a PhD
at North-Western University, Illinois. He turned his attention to gastrin
while he was Holt Professor of Physiology, and Head of Department, at the University of Liverpool
(appointed in 1948). He "made fundamental contributions to the study of gut hormones through his isolation of the gastric acid stimulating hormone gastrin, the characterisation of its spectrum of actions, the identification of structure-activity relationships and discovery that gastrin was produced in excess in the tumours of patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome
".
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1965 and awarded a CBE
in 1971. He won the Royal Medal
in 1978.
He had married Alice Watts in 1939.
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
FRS (29 December 1913 - 5 September 1990) was a British biologist.
He was born in 1913 in Plaistow, London, the only child of Alfred Gregory and Alice Jane (née Greaves) Gregory. His father was a fitter and turner who, in 1913, was employed by Brunner and Monde (later Imperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries was a British chemical company, taken over by AkzoNobel, a Dutch conglomerate, one of the largest chemical producers in the world. In its heyday, ICI was the largest manufacturing company in the British Empire, and commonly regarded as a "bellwether of the British...
). At the age of 11 he started at the local grammar school, George Green's School.
He then trained as a physiologist in the Department of Physiology at University College, London in the early 1930s and then studied gastrointestinal physiology for a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
at North-Western University, Illinois. He turned his attention to gastrin
Gastrin
In humans, gastrin is a peptide hormone that stimulates secretion of gastric acid by the parietal cells of the stomach and aids in gastric motility. It is released by G cells in the antrum of the stomach, duodenum, and the pancreas...
while he was Holt Professor of Physiology, and Head of Department, at the University of Liverpool
University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
(appointed in 1948). He "made fundamental contributions to the study of gut hormones through his isolation of the gastric acid stimulating hormone gastrin, the characterisation of its spectrum of actions, the identification of structure-activity relationships and discovery that gastrin was produced in excess in the tumours of patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome
Zollinger-Ellison syndrome
Zollinger–Ellison syndrome is a triad of gastric acid hypersecretion, severe peptic ulceration, and non-beta cell islet tumor of pancreas . In this syndrome increased levels of the hormone gastrin are produced, causing the stomach to produce excess hydrochloric acid. Often the cause is a tumor of...
".
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1965 and awarded a CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1971. He won the Royal Medal
Royal Medal
The Royal Medal, also known as The Queen's Medal, is a silver-gilt medal awarded each year by the Royal Society, two for "the most important contributions to the advancement of natural knowledge" and one for "distinguished contributions in the applied sciences" made within the Commonwealth of...
in 1978.
He had married Alice Watts in 1939.