Brian G. Sparkes (November 4, 1941 – December 18, 2011) was a Canadian biochemist. In 1968, he was the first to isolate a naturally occurring bacterial growth inhibitor in a discovery that had worldwide impact for cancer research. His groundbreaking paper was published in the academic journal ''

Science Science is a systematic endeavor that Scientific method, builds and organizes knowledge in the form of Testability, testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earli ...

''. He was awarded a National Cancer Institute fellowship to study at

McGill University McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter granted by King George IV,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill Universit ...

. Sparkes performed pioneering research in the role of immune failure in burn injuries. In 1994 he was awarded the "Ambroise Pare Award" for his work on burn injury. Sparkes was born November 4, 1941, in

Newport Newport most commonly refers to: *Newport, Wales *Newport, Rhode Island, US Newport or New Port may also refer to: Places Asia *Newport City, Metro Manila, a Philippine district in Pasay Europe Ireland *Newport, County Mayo, a town on the ...

, Monmouthshire. He immigrated to Canada in 1951 and completed his secondary schooling in

London, Ontario London (pronounced ) is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, along the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor. The city had a population of 422,324 according to the 2021 Canadian census. London is at the confluence of the Thames River, approximat ...

. Sparkes Earning two degrees from the

University of Western Ontario The University of Western Ontario (UWO), also known as Western University or Western, is a public research university in London, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land, surrounded by residential neighbourhoods and the Thames Ri ...

, and earned his doctorate at the

University of Ottawa The University of Ottawa (french: Université d'Ottawa), often referred to as uOttawa or U of O, is a bilingual public research university in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on directly to the northeast of Downtown Ottaw ...

. Sparkes died, at the age of 70, at St. Michael's Hospital in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most pop ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...

, after succumbing to the effects of aggressive lymphoma.

References

''The Globe and Mail'' - January 26, 2012, p.R5 - Brilliant biochemist was an authority on the immunology of burn injury
1941 births 2011 deaths Canadian biochemists People from Newport, Wales Welsh emigrants to Canada University of Western Ontario alumni University of Ottawa alumni {{Canada-scientist-stub