Graham Liggins

Sir Graham Liggins
CBE FRS FRSNZ
portrait by Bruce Jarvis
Born
Graham Collingwood Liggins

(1926-06-24)24 June 1926
Thames, New Zealand
Died24 August 2010(2010-08-24) (aged 84)
Known forObstetrics

Sir Graham Collingwood "Mont" Liggins CBE FRS FRSNZ[1] (24 June 1926 – 24 August 2010) was a New Zealand medical scientist. A specialist in obstetrical research, he is best known for his pioneering use of hormone injections (antenatal steroids) in 1972[2] to accelerate the lung growth of premature babies. This made it possible for many preterm babies with lung problems to survive.

Liggins was educated at the University of Auckland obtaining a PhD in 1969. His doctoral thesis was titled The Role of the foetal adrenal glands in the mechanism of initiation of parturition in the ewe.[3] He carried out research into the reduction of death rates of premature babies at National Women's Hospital in Auckland.[4]

In the 1983 Queen's Birthday Honours, Liggins was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to medical research.[5] He was made a Knight Bachelor, also for services to medical research, in the 1991 Queen's Birthday Honours.[6][7][8]

The Liggins Institute was named in his honour.

Liggins died on 24 August 2010, aged 84, following a long illness.[1][9]

References

  1. ^ a b Gluckman, Peter; Buklijas, Tatjana (2013). "Sir Graham Collingwood (Mont) Liggins. 24 June 1926 – 24 August 2010". Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society. 59: 193–214. doi:10.1098/rsbm.2012.0039.
  2. ^ "Mont Liggins". The Economist. 2 September 2010. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  3. ^ Liggins, Graham (1969). The Role of the foetal adrenal glands in the mechanism of initiation of parturition in the ewe (Doctoral thesis). ResearchSpace@Auckland, University of Auckland. hdl:2292/3252.
  4. ^ Auckland District Health Board. "History of National Women's Hospital" (PDF). Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  5. ^ "No. 49376". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 11 June 1983. p. 34.
  6. ^ Top New Zealand scientist dies aged 84
  7. ^ "Baby health pioneer Sir Graham Liggins dies". Radio New Zealand. 24 August 2010. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
  8. ^ "No. 52564". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 15 June 1991. p. 29.
  9. ^ Sir Graham Liggins FRS FRSNZ 1926 – 2010 Archived 21 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine
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