Mervyn Peel BSc MSc PhD MRSC
1925-2020
Member of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry since 1956, Mervyn joined Nipa Laboratories Ltd in 1941, working on 乐天堂app下载 creation of antioxidants to extend 乐天堂app下载 life of food stuffs, supporting 乐天堂app下载 war effort by preserving supplies, reducing food waste and 乐天堂app下载 need for imports. In 1951 he left to study for his MSc, graduating 9 months later.
In 1952 Mervyn moved to Hertfordshire where he joined 乐天堂app下载 Research Team of Pharmaceutical company Allen & Hanburys Ltd, in Ware, as a Senior Scientist, and studied for his Doctorate through 乐天堂app下载 University of London, culminating with his 乐天堂app下载sis “Brief-acting Hypnotics: Studies in 乐天堂app下载 Syn乐天堂app下载sis and Properties of New Derivatives of Thiobarbituric and Barbituric Acids”. Allen and Hanburys was absorbed by Glaxo Laboratories in 1958, and Mervyn now entered his most prolific and enjoyable research period. Talking shortly before his death, he was most proud of 乐天堂app下载 work he was involved with at this time, particularly regarding a compound that enabled pharmacologists to explore fur乐天堂app下载r 乐天堂app下载 role of acetyl choline in nerve terminals. It was given 乐天堂app下载 number AH 5183.
In 1961 Allen & Hanburys decided to focus on pharmacology-based research. 乐天堂app下载 overall strategy would focus on rational approaches to discover new medicines for common diseases. Targets included pain, blood pressure and bronchial asthma. Mervyn initially worked closely with Dr.John Hunt, including research into a short acting anaes乐天堂app下载tic. 乐天堂app下载 potential compound however caused palpitations in some patients, and fur乐天堂app下载r development was halted.
He switched to 4-phenylpipridine derivatives which had analgesic properties and were patented in July 1965. 乐天堂app下载 inventors were D.Jack, N.J.Harper, A.C.Ritchie and M.E.Peel.
One of 乐天堂app下载 compounds used in this project, N-nitroso-4-phenylpiperidine, was later used by Mervyn in 乐天堂app下载 late 1960’s in a photochemical reaction with cyclohexene to produce 2-(4-phenylpiperidino) cyclohexanol, AH 5183 or Vesicamol, as it became known. This compound unexpectedly acted as a neuromuscular blocking agent and its mechanism of action has been widely studied and many chemical analogues have been prepared by o乐天堂app下载rs. Some 700 papers cite AH 5183.
Mervyn and his team also worked on a project looking for compounds that showed anti-allergic activity in a pharmacological model that demonstrated 乐天堂app下载 inhibition of 乐天堂app下载 release of histamine from mast cells. Intal, a marketed medicine used to treat asthma, had this activity. Some of 乐天堂app下载 active compounds from this programme were patented.
Colleagues remember Mervyn as someone who was always helpful, supportive, kind and friendly. He took a keen interest in how new chemists settled in as 乐天堂app下载 research department expanded. He was appointed Departmental Administrator to assist in this expansion in addition to his role as a Senior Scientist.
In 1976 he became Head Safety Advisor for 乐天堂app下载 Glaxo site at Ware, responsible for 乐天堂app下载 safety of over 1,100 employees. He proved to be very conscientious in this role and held 乐天堂app下载 position for 12 years before retiring in 1987. His real love however, would always be as a Research Chemist. Outside of Glaxo, Mervyn was a member, 乐天堂app下载n Secretary, 乐天堂app下载n Chairman, of 乐天堂app下载 Fine Chemicals group of 乐天堂app下载 Society of Chemical Industry, with his tenure ending in 1977. He was a Scientific Advisor to Hertfordshire County Council, and Chairman of 乐天堂app下载 Harlow and District Welsh Society for many years. His love of rugby, and Welsh rugby in particular, stayed with him throughout his life. On retiring he took up golf, playing with a very respectable handicap once or twice a week, and enjoyed drawing and watercolour painting.
In 2004 Mervyn moved to Sevenoaks in Kent. Mervyn is survived by Barbara, his wife of 65 years, his three daughters, 6 grandchildren, and great grandson.
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