Sydney Wentworth Patterson MB BS, MD, DSc, FRCP (born 1882 in Melbourne, Australia, died 1960 in London, England) was a physician, medical researcher and first director of the

Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research WEHI (), previously known as the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, and as the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, is Australia's oldest medical research institute. Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet, who won the Nobel Prize in 1960 for ...

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a me ...

, Australia.

Career

Education

Patterson was educated at

Scotch College, Melbourne Scotch College is an independent school, independent Presbyterian Day school, day and boarding school for boys, located in Hawthorn, Victoria, Hawthorn, an inner-eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Victoria, Aus ...

. He then obtained a scholarship from

Ormond College Ormond College is the largest of the residential colleges of the University of Melbourne located in the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is home to around 350 undergraduates, 90 graduates and 35 professorial and academic residents. H ...

to study at the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb n ...

where he obtained first class honours in chemistry, physiology and medicine, graduating MB BS in 1904. In 1907 Patterson received his MD for research into calcium metabolism, and in 1912 he was awarded a fellowship to undertake research with

Ernest Starling Ernest Henry Starling (17 April 1866 – 2 May 1927) was a British physiologist who contributed many fundamental ideas to this subject. These ideas were important parts of the British contribution to physiology, which at that time led the world. ...

University College London , mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £143 million (2020) , budget = � ...

. There he studied cardiac physiology and diabetes, earning the degree of Doctor of Science from the

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degre ...

in 1916.

Military service

During the First World War, Patterson joined the Australian Voluntary Medical Service, later transferring to the

Royal Army Medical Corps The Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all Army personnel and their families, in war and in peace. The RAMC, the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, the Royal Army Dental Corps ...

. He was awarded the rank of Major and served as a pathologist in France. During this time he continued to undertake medical research, publishing a description of the bacteria associated with certain cases of fever in servicemen.

Directorship of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute

In 1919, Patterson was appointed as the first director of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. He oversaw research programs in respiratory and intestinal microbiology, parasitology and cancer, with a focus on clinical research. Patterson established a structure of close collaboration with the Royal Melbourne Hospital. This included his appointment as a physician at the hospital and the involvement of many clinicians in medical research, often on a voluntary or part-time basis. He advocated for the institute to establish a clinical research ward, which was achieved several decades after his departure. When announcing Patterson's departure in 1923, '' The Argus'' newspaper described the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute as a national leader in the diagnosis of infectious diseases and cancer.

Ruthin Castle Hospital

In 1923 Patterson left the institute to take an appointment as a clinician at

Ruthin Castle Ruthin Castle ( cy, Castell Rhuthun) is a medieval castle fortification in Wales, near the town of Ruthin in the Vale of Clwyd. It was constructed during the late 13th century by Dafydd ap Gruffydd, the brother of Prince Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, o ...

, a private hospital in Wales (the successor of a hospital at

Duff House Duff House is a Georgian estate house in Banff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Now in the care of Historic Environment Scotland, it is part of the National Galleries of Scotland and is a Category A listed building. The house is built of ashlar in ...

in Scotland). He specialized in gastroenterology and was president of the

British Society of Gastroenterology The British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) is a British professional organisation of gastroenterologists, surgeons, pathologists, radiologists, scientists, nurses, dietitians and others amongst its members, which number over 3,000. It was founded ...

in 1954. In 1958 Patterson retired from Ruthin Castle and returned to laboratory research into wound healing at University College London, until his death in 1960.Obituary: SW Patterson, MD DSc FRCP
Br Med J 1 : 1575 (Published 21 May 1960)

References

External links

Walter and Eliza Hall Institute
{{DEFAULTSORT:Patterson, Sydney Australian medical researchers WEHI alumni People educated at Scotch College, Melbourne 1882 births 1960 deaths