Sir William Stanley Peart. 31 March 1922—14 March 2019

Abstract

Sir Stanley Peart began his academic career with two fine original pieces of work: elucidating the neurotransmitter discharged from sympathetic nerves to the viscera; and characterizing the amino-acid sequence of angiotensin, the peptide released by the action of the enzyme renin. The influence of both these lines of work has been profound. First, on the understanding of neurotransmission in the autonomic nervous system, the peripheral nervous system that regulates involuntary processes in the viscera. Second, on the control of the vascular system; on hypertension and the design of antihypertensive drugs; on creation of analogues and antagonists of angiotensin; and on the therapeutic potential of inhibitors of angiotensin-converting enzyme. These achievements required intense application, originality of ideas and technique and good scientific taste in the choice of collaborators. However, he chose not to remain in the laboratory, but explicitly to be a clinician scientist, with his research growing from and illuminated by clinical practice. He created a fruitful and durable school of research in hypertension and the related subjects, inspiring and influencing a generation of clinician scientists. Among his strengths were the ability to analyse and constructively criticize research, and to recognize the aptitudes and abilities of all who had the pleasure of working with him. His academic career began as a medical student at St Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, and he spent almost all of his career at St Mary's, including 31 years as professor of medicine.