Geoffrey S. Dawes

Infobox Person
name = Prof. Geoffrey Sharman Dawes CBE FRS


image_size =
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birth_date = 21 January 1918
birth_place = Mackworth
death_date = 6 May 1996
death_place = Oxford
education = Shardlow Hall, Repton School & Oxford University
occupation = Physiologist
spouse = Margaret Monk
parents = Rev. William Dawes
children = two daughters and two sons

Geoffrey Sharman Dawes (21 January 1918 – 6 May 1996) was an English physiologist and was considered to be the "foremost international authority on neo-natal physiology". [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19960516/ai_n14053976/pg_2 Obituary: Professor Geoffrey Dawes] , Independent, The (London), May 16, 1996 by C.W.G. Redman, accessed 7 September 2008]

Biography

Dawes was born in 1918 in Mackworth which is within Derbyshire, but he was brought up in Elvaston where his father was the vicar of Elvaston and Thulston. He had four siblings who were all older than him. [http://www.jstor.org/pss/770234 Geoffrey Sharman Dawes] , Sir Graham Higgins, The Royal Society, accessed 7 September 2008] . Dawes lived at Thurleston Hall, the vicarage for Elvaston. This hall had previously been the home of William Darwin Fox. His prep school was in the next village of Shardlow where he studied until he started at Repton School which was still within south Derbyshire. This association with Rrepton continued as later he would become both a member and later chair of their governors.

Dawes became the director of the Nuffield Institute for Medical research in Oxford in 1948 only five years after obtaining his degree in medicine. [http://neoreviews.aappublications.org/cgi/content/extract/8/9/e365 Historical Perspectives - Perinatal Profiles: Geoffrey S. Dawes: A Neonatologist's Appreciation] , NeoReviews Vol.8 No.9 2007 e365, accessed 7 September 2008]

Following his appointment as director Dawes had to decide on an area of research that was worthy of his attention. He decided on fetal physiology as he thought at the time that study of foetuses would be allow researchers to study simpler version of more complex adult physiology. This was not the case and Dawes himself became a spokesman for the importance and complexity of this stage of physiology. [http://www.pedresearch.org/pt/re/pedresearch/fulltext.00006450-199611000-00020.htm;jsessionid=LGHGGKZSDZCx01w2LykMbl0PTLHS1FZf2FBzVQRkfLsJQ3nBLrMM!-1004083789!181195629!8091!-1 Tribute to Professor Geoffrey Dawes, Pediatric Research] , Mark A. Hasnson, November 1986, accessed 7 September 2008]

Dawes was awarded the Gairdner Foundation International Award in 1966 for his outstanding contributions to medical science. [cite web |url = http://www.gairdner.org/winners.html |title = List of winners |publisher = The Gairdner Foundation |accessdaymonth = 19 December |accessyear = 2007 ]

Dawes retired in 1985 and took up the post of director of Sunley Research Centre at Charring Cross Hospital. Here he worked on both the computerisation of foetal heart rates and on molucular biology. The Nuffield Institute of Medical research whicj he had directed became part of the Institute of Molecular Medicine. [ [http://www.imm.ox.ac.uk/pages/about.htm Weatherall Institute of Moleculr Medicine] , accessed 7 September 2008]

A keen entertainer with his wife Margaret he died in Oxford in 1996.

Publications

*"Fetal and Neonatal Physiology" (1968)

Legacy

The Geoffrey Dawwes lecture is given annually and organised by the "Fetal and Neonatal Physiological Society". [ [http://www.fnps-society.org/cambridge%20info.htm Fetal and Neonatal Physiological Society] , accessed 7 September 2008]

References