Guy Frederic Marrian (3 March 1904 – 24 July 1981) was a British biochemist mainly known for his research into oestrogen.

Life

He was born in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

on 3 March 1904 the son of Mary Eddington Currie and Frederic York Marrian, a civil engineer. He was educated at

Tollington School Tollington School (1901-1967) was a selective, coeducational grammar school in Muswell Hill, London, England. For the present school on this site, see Fortismere School. Foundation Tollington School of Muswell Hill, North London N10, was the ...

for Boys in London then

Leys School The Leys School is a co-educational private school in Cambridge, England. It is a boarding and day school for about 565 pupils between the ages of eleven and eighteen. The head is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. ...

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. He then studied Sciences at the

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a collegiate university, federal Public university, public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The ...

graduating with a BSc in 1925. He then went to work as a laboratory assistant to Dr Henry Dale at the National Institute of Medical Research in Hampstead. In 1926 he began a postgraduate course at the

and gained his doctorate (DSc) in 1930. He then began lecturing in biochemistry. In 1933 he obtained a position as Assistant Professor of Biochemistry at the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university whose main campus is located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded by ...

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. In 1936 he was made full Professor. He planned to return to Britain in 1939 but this plan was disrupted by

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. During the war he was seconded to the Chemical Warfare Field Station in

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at the rank of Major. In 1945 he took up a post as Professor of Chemistry at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...

, lecturing mainly to medical students. In October 1938 he delivered one of the Harvey Lectures of the Harvey Society of New York. In 1940 he was elected a Fellow of the

Royal Society of Edinburgh The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was establis ...

. His proposers were

James Pickering Kendall James Pickering Kendall FRS FRSE (30 July 1889, in Chobham, Surrey – 14 June 1978, in Edinburgh) was a British chemist. Life Kendall was born in Chobham, Surrey to soldier William Henry Kendall of the Royal Horse Artillery, and his second wi ...

James Ritchie James Ritchie may refer to: * James Ritchie (rugby union) (1907–1942), Scottish international rugby union player * James Ritchie (naturalist) (1882–1958), President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh * James Ritchie (Massachusetts politician) (1 ...

, Sir Sydney Smith, and

James Couper Brash James Couper Brash, MC, FRCSE, FRSE (24 October 1886 in Cathcart – 19 January 1958 in Edinburgh) was a leading anatomist and embryologist in Britain. Early life and family James Couper Brash was born in Cathcart in Scotland, the son of ...

. He was elected a Fellow of the

Royal Society of London The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, r ...

in 1944. In 1969 he was made

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(CBE). He retired in 1968, and died on 24 July 1981 in

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...

Family

In 1928 he married Phyllis May Lewis on the 5th of November. They had two daughters.

References

1904 births 1981 deaths 20th-century British biochemists Alumni of the University of London Academics of the University of Edinburgh Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Fellows of the Royal Society Commanders of the Order of the British Empire {{UK-scientist-stub