Curtis, David Roderick (1927 - 2017)

Summary

David Curtis was internationally recognised as a pioneer in the identification of excitatory and inhibitory transmitters released at synapses in the central nervous system. Among his major contributions was the identification of gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) and glycine as inhibitory transmitters released at inhibitory synapse. Curtis had a distinguished career at the John Curtin School of Medical Research, retiring in 1992 as Howard Florey Professor of Medical Research and Director of the School. His significant involvement with the Australian Academy of Science included terms as President and as Chairman of the Editorial Committee of the Academy's journal, Historical records of Australian science. For his longstanding commitment to the Australian Neuroscience Society he received the Society's Distinguished Achievement Award.

Details

Chronology

1950

Education - MB BS, University of Melbourne

1951 - 1952

Career position - Junior Resident Medical Officer, Royal Melbourne Hospital

1952 - 1953

Career position - Senior Resident Medical Officer, Royal Melbourne Hospital

1953 - 1954

Career position - Registrar, Department of Neurology, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne

1954 - 1956

Career position - Research Scholar, Department of Physiology, Australian National University

1956 - 1957

Career position - Research Fellow, Department of Physiology, Australian National University

1957

Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Australian National University

1957 - 1959

Career position - Fellow, Department of Physiology, Australian National University

1959 - 1962

Career position - Senior Fellow, Department of Physiology, Australian National University

1962 - 1966

Career position - Professorial Fellow, Department of Physiology, Australian National University

1965

Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)

1966 - 1968

Career position - Professor of Pharmacology, Department of Physiology, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University

1968 - 1973

Career position - Professor of Neuropharmacology, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University

1973 - 1988

Career position - Professor of Pharmacology, Head of Department of Pharmacology, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University

1974

Award - Fellow, The Royal Society, London (FRS)

1974 - 1977

Career position - Vice-President, Australian Academy of Science

1983

Award - Macfarlane Burnet Medal and Lecture, Australian Academy of Science

1986 - 1990

Career position - President, Australian Academy of Science

1987

Award - Fellow, Royal Australasian College of Physicians

1988

Career position - Chairman, Division of Physiological Sciences, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University

1989

Career position - Head, Division of Neuroscience, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University

1989 - 1992

Career position - Director and Howard Florey Professor of Medical Research, John Curtin School of Medical Research

1991 - 1995

Career position - President, Australian Physiological and Pharmacological Society

1992

Award - Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) - in recognition of his contributions to medical research and scientific administration

1993 - 1995

Award - University Fellow, Australian National University

2001

Award - Centenary Medal - for service to Australian society and science in neurophysiology

2002 - 2009

Career position - Chairman, Editorial Committee, Historical records of Australian science

2009

Award - Distinguished Achievement Award, Australian Neuroscience Society

Related entries

Archival resources

Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science

• David Roderick Curtis - Records, 1954 - 2005, MS 217; Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science. Details

Published resources

Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Exhibitions

• Smith, Ailie, Adolph Basser Library Manuscript Collection, eScholarship Research Centre, 2012, http://www.eoas.info/basser_browse.html. Details

Books

• Fenner, Frank and Curtis, David, The John Curtin School of Medical Research: the First Fifty Years, 1948-1998 (Gundaroo, New South Wales: Brolga Press, 2001), 565 (577) pp. Details

Book Sections

• Curtis, D. R., 'David R. Curtis' in The history of neuroscience in autobiography, volume 5, Squire, Larry R., ed. (Burlington, Mass.: Society for Neuroscience, 2006), pp. 171-225. Details

Edited Books

• Clifford, Harold T. ed., Cambridge - Castlemaine: a Tribute to John Stewart Turner on the Occasion of his 80th Birthday (St Lucia: Botany Department, University of Queensland, 1988), 71 pp. Details

Journal Articles

• Beart, Phillip; Johnston, Graham; and Lodge, David, 'In memoriam: David Curtis', Australasian Neuroscience Society newsletter (2018), 15-6. Details
• Curtis, David, 'Sir John Eccles, AC - Nobel Laureate', Melbourne University Magazine (2002), 28-29. Details
• Curtis, David R.; Andersen, Per, 'John Carew Eccles 1903-1997', Historical Records of Australian Science, 13 (3) (2001), 439-473. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR0011340439. Details
• Curtis, David; Andersen, Per, 'Sir John Carew Eccles, AC', Biographical memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society, 47 (2001), 161-187, https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbm.2001.0010. Details
• Redman, S. J. and Porter, R., 'David Roderick Curtis, 3 June 1927 - 11 December 2017', Biographical memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society, 69 (2020), 133-43, https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbm.2020.0025. Details
• Redman, Stephen J.; and Porter, Robert, 'David Roderick Curtis 1927 - 2017', Historical Records of Australian Science, 31 (2) (2020), 152-6. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR19016. Details

Resources

• Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society [Online resource], Royal Society of London, https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbm.2020.0025. Details
• Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q21165887. Details
• VIAF - Virtual International Authority File, OCLC, https://viaf.org/viaf/94976164. Details
• 'Curtis, David Roderick (1927-)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1306372. Details

Resource Sections

• 'Obituary: Emeritus Professor David Curtis AC FAA FRACP FRS 1927 - 2017', in Fellows Update - February 2018, Australian Academy of Science, 2018. https://www.science.org.au/academy-newsletter/feb-2018-113/fellows-update. Details
• Blythe, Max, 'Interview with Professor David Curtis', in Interviews with Australian scientists, Australian Academy of Science, 13 September 1993, https://www.science.org.au/learning/general-audience/history/interviews-australian-scientists/professor-david-curtis. Details

See also

• Macfarlane Burnet Medal and Lecture, Australian Academy of Science, 2022, https://www.science.org.au/supporting-science/awards-and-opportunities/macfarlane-burnet-medal-and-lecture. Details