Stafford Louis Lightman (born 7 September 1948) has been Professor of Medicine,

University of Bristol The University of Bristol is a Red brick university, red brick Russell Group research university in Bristol, England. It received its royal charter in 1909, although it can trace its roots to a Society of Merchant Venturers, Merchant Venturers' sc ...

, since 1993. He was president of the British Neuroscience Association 2017–2019.

Education

Lightman was educated at

Repton School Repton School is a 13–18 co-educational, independent, day and boarding school in the English public school tradition, in Repton, Derbyshire, England. Sir John Port of Etwall, on his death in 1557, left funds to create a grammar school ...

and

Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge Gonville and Caius College, often referred to simply as Caius ( ), is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1348, it is the fourth-oldest of the University of Cambridge's 31 colleges and one of ...

(MA, MB BChir, PhD). He did his clinical training at

Middlesex Hospital Middlesex Hospital was a teaching hospital located in the Fitzrovia area of London, England. First opened as the Middlesex Infirmary in 1745 on Windmill Street, it was moved in 1757 to Mortimer Street where it remained until it was finally clo ...

Medical School

Career and research

Lightman started his research career working on

catecholamine A catecholamine (; abbreviated CA) is a monoamine neurotransmitter, an organic compound that has a catechol ( benzene with two hydroxyl side groups next to each other) and a side-chain amine. Catechol can be either a free molecule or a ...

uptake mechanisms in Cambridge where, after completed his clinical studies at the Middlesex Hospital in London, he studied the role of

opioid peptide Opioid peptides are peptides that bind to opioid receptors in the brain; opiates and opioids mimic the effect of these peptides. Such peptides may be produced by the body itself, for example endorphins. The effects of these peptides vary, but th ...

s and brain stem catecholamine pathways in the regulation of

neurohypophysial hormone The neurohypophysial hormones form a family of structurally and functionally related peptide hormones. Their representatives in humans are oxytocin and vasopressin. They are named after the location of their release into the blood, the neurohypo ...

secretion. He laterinvestigated the dynamics underlying

stress hormone Stress hormones are secreted by endocrine glands to modify one's internal environment during times of stress. By performing various functions such as mobilizing energy sources, increasing heart rate, and downregulating metabolic processes which ...

secretion. * Visiting Senior Scientist, Medical Research Council Neuro-Pharmacy Unit, Cambridge, 1980–81 *

Wellcome Trust The Wellcome Trust is a charitable foundation focused on health research based in London, in the United Kingdom. It was established in 1936 with legacies from the pharmaceutical magnate Henry Wellcome (founder of one of the predecessors of Glax ...

Senior Lecturer, St. Mary's Hospital Medical School and Honorary Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist, St Mary's Hospital, 1981–82 * Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School: ** Reader in Medicine, 1982–88 ** Professor of Clinical Neuroendocrinology, Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist, 1988–92 * Honorary Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Neurology and Consultant Endocrinologist to the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, 1988- * Chairman, Pituitary Foundation, 1995- * Founding

Fellow A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

of the

Academy of Medical Sciences The Academy of Medical Sciences is an organisation established in the UK in 1998. It is one of the four UK National Academies, the others being the British Academy, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society. Its mission is to ad ...

, 1998 *

Editor-in-chief An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies. The highest-ranking editor of a publication may also be titled editor, managing ...

, ''

Journal of Neuroendocrinology The ''Journal of Neuroendocrinology'', first published in 1989 is an academic journal that mainly publishes reports of original research in the field of neuroendocrinology, along with occasional review articles; it claims to provide "the principal ...

'', 1989–96. * Mortyn Jones Lecturer

British Society for Neuroendocrinology The British Society for Neuroendocrinology (BSN) was formally established in 2001 to promote learning and research into neuroendocrinology. Publications of the Society include the '' Journal of Neuroendocrinology'' and Neuroendorcrine Briefings'' Si ...

, 2014

Honours and awards

Lightman was elected a

Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural knowledge, including mathematic ...

in 2017.

Personal life

He is the son of

Harold Lightman Harold Lightman QC (8 April 1906 in Leeds – 27 September 1998 in London) was an English barrister, who was awarded the unique honour of a dinner at Lincoln's Inn to celebrate his 90th birthday. Early life Harold Lightman was the son of a Li ...

Queen's Counsel In the United Kingdom and in some Commonwealth countries, a King's Counsel (post-nominal initials KC) during the reign of a king, or Queen's Counsel (post-nominal initials QC) during the reign of a queen, is a lawyer (usually a barrister or ...

(QC) and the brother of Sir

Gavin Lightman Sir Gavin Anthony Lightman (20 December 1939 - 2 March 2020) was a judge of the English High Court of Justice, Chancery Division, since 1994. He retired from office as a High Court judge on 10 January 2008 and was later the chairman of Harbou ...

, QC.

References

1948 births Living people English Jews People educated at Repton School Alumni of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge Academics of the University of Bristol Jewish scientists British neurologists British endocrinologists Fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences (United Kingdom) Fellows of the Royal Society English people of Lithuanian-Jewish descent English people of Scottish descent English people of German-Jewish descent 20th-century English medical doctors 21st-century English medical doctors {{UK-med-bio-stub