PHARMACOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF : A BRIEF HISTORY

Rudiments of pharmacology were first taught in of appointment be made to Adrien Albert (who was 1883 in the newly-founded medical school, whose later to become Professor of Medicinal Chemistry degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Doctor of at the Australian National University). The offer of Medicine were established by Royal Charter in the Chair was declined, so the position was 1858. The discipline was described as Materia advertised, attracting thirteen applications, but was Medica, and its first lecturer was Thomas Storie then re-advertised at new salary rates in the hope Dixson, from 1883 to 1917. The establishment of of increasing the number of applicants. Meanwhile, a Chair of Pharmacology was then recommended, Dr Hales Wilson, another distinguished medical and, in 1918 the first Professor of Pharmacology, graduate of the University, was appointed to Henry George Chapman, was appointed. lecture in Pharmacology. Hales Wilson gave one Chapman had taught in the Department of lecture per week for one term in each of two years Physiology but was not a specialist in to medical students, largely ex-service personnel, pharmacology; he resigned to become Professor who were described as 'very likeable and keen to of Physiology in 1920. The Chair of Pharmacology learn'. then lapsed for twenty-eight years. The previous position of Lecturer in Materia Medica was re- Roland Thorp and the Department of established, and filled in 1921 by John Pharmacology MacPherson, a Sydney graduate who was a leading Australian authority on Materia Medica and Roland Thorp was selected from the therapeutics. After MacPherson retired in 1934, applicants for the Chair, and offered the position. Pharmacology was taught by members of the He arrived in to take up his appointment Physiology Department, resulting in some and set up the new department in 1949. Thorp dissatisfaction among the medical students. was well trained in Pharmacology. He had joined In December 1938 a Senate sub- the Wellcome Physiological Research Laboratories committee reported that the students' complaints in 1936 as an assistant to the Chief were justified. In the resulting re-shuffle of teaching Pharmacologist. At that time, medicines such as in the medical school, pharmacology became digitalis leaf and insulin had to be standardised linked with therapeutics. In 1946, the Senate biologically so that their potencies could be worked requested the senior medical professors to report out and accurate drug doses calculated. Thorp on future developments in physiology and had worked with many distinguished pharmacology. This they did within one month and pharmacologists on the development and testing of part of the recommendation was that the Chair of analgesic drugs, and in studies of their clinical Pharmacology be re-established and that an offer pharmacology. He was also involved in the Page 2 monitoring of pharmacological aspects of medical students. An important aspect of the production control and biological standardisation of medical course has been the opportunity for insulin, vitamin D and organic arsenicals. Between selected medical students to undertake a Bachelor 1946 and 1949, Thorp had established Wellcome's of Science (Medical) degree in pre- and biological assay laboratory at Dartford. paraclinical subjects. The degree was introduced Thorp was a man of considerable in 1949 and in the following year, two students intellectual calibre and was interested in a wide enrolled in Pharmacology: Barry Firkin, who range of University issues beyond those to do with became Professor of Medicine at Monash his academic discipline. His appointment was as University and William Barclay, who became NSW 'Professor of Pharmacology and Director of State Director of Psychiatric Services. They were Pharmacy'. The Pharmacy course was partly followed by others who have also achieved conducted by the University and partly as an professional and academic distinction, such as the apprenticeship programme. Registration as a late Victor Chang, who pioneered cardiac pharmacist was contingent upon the successful transplantation in Australia, and Stephen Leeder, completion of a University course as well as on who is Dean of Medicine at the University of passing examinations conducted by the Pharmacy Sydney. Board. Thorp worked to upgrade the academic The degree of Doctor of Philosophy was standing of Pharmacy and was, in large measure, introduced by the University in the early 1950s. responsible for the introduction of the Pharmacy Within the Department of Pharmacology, it was degree course by the University. He also played awarded in 1956 to Sydney Wright and Tom an important role in the formation of a separate Watson, (both later to become Professors in the Department of Pharmacy, initially under the Department of Pharmacy), to Michael Rand in direction of the late Professor S.E. Wright. 1957, Anne Stafford in 1959, Bruce Cobbin in 1960 At the time of Thorp's appointment, and Jocelyn (Pennefather) O'Neil in 1961 and to enrolment in Medicine was swelled by World War 2 many other distinguished scientists. ex-service personnel. There were over 450 During the 1950s and 60s, many students in fourth year, where Pharmacology distinguished visitors from overseas were invited to lectures were given in a temporary 'fibro' theatre contribute to the teaching in the Department, known as 'The Barn'. In addition, with the thanks to the generosity of the pharmaceutical assistance of one Lecturer (Bruce Cobbin), Thorp industry. The first was Professor Frank Winton had to organise the instruction of 180 Pharmacy from University College, London, followed by students. Professors Gaddum, Robson, Keele, Vogt and To aid the development of Pharmacology Perry. These leaders in Pharmacology gave as a discipline in its own right, the subject was lectures to undergraduate students, seminars to introduced into the Faculty of Science where it teaching and research staff and postgraduate could be selected as a career subject. Since the students, and advised on research projects. They early 1950s, a constant stream of scientists has also assisted our research graduates to obtain continued to flow from the Department and some, postgraduate posts to further their training in the such as Michael Rand, Professor of Pharmacology United Kingdom. at the University of Melbourne (1965-1992), have The research activities of the Department achieved international reputations. The early in the 1950s and 60s included a large growth of the Department was assisted by the cardiovascular component. This commenced with provision of research fellowships and scholarships studies on cardiac glycosides, defining optimum by pharmaceutical companies, notably Burroughs growing conditions for Digitalis species, methods Wellcome, Drug Houses of Australia, Nicholas of separation and analysis of component Laboratories and Roche Products. The Australian glycosides from this genus, their metabolism and Jockey Club also funded a research fellowship. diverse non-cardiac actions. A major parallel The teaching of Pharmacology as a activity was the study of drug action on service course was extended to the Faculties of electrophysiological properties of cardiac muscle. Veterinary Science in 1953 and Dentistry in 1967. Research activity received a boost in the decade The earlier part-time teaching, part-time from 1962 when Smith, Kline and French provided apprenticeship Diploma in Pharmacy was changed the funds to establish a Research Institute in the to a full-time degree course in 1960, since when Department of Pharmacology. This generous the quality and quantity of pharmacological support provided research positions, support staff instruction to these students, as for students from and running costs. The major areas of activity the Faculty of Science, has exceeded that given to were a study of endogenous cardiac stimulants Page 3 and the pharmacology of substituted adenyl Thorp's retirement. Johnston, a chemistry graduate nucleosides and nucleotides on platelet from the brought very aggregation and coronary haemodynamics. significant research experience in medicinal Changing fortunes led to the closure of the Institute chemistry and expanded the Department's in 1969. In the 1960s, the Australian Universities research activity and interest in central nervous Commission provided funds to build the Bosch system pharmacology. Building complex, which included extended Research in respiratory pharmacology and accommodation for Pharmacology, particularly mediators of inflammation was strengthened, and undergraduate laboratories. The Department now also its clinical applications. The Department occupies much of the ground floor of the Blackburn succeeded in attracting much new research Building, and part of the ground floor and all of funding, particularly from government sources but level 2 of the Bosch IB building, but has far also from other grant-giving sources, and a outgrown its office and research space as noted by significant number of collaborative research a series of departmental reviews. projects with industry and other institutions have Owing to ill health, Thorp retired at the been established. The number and quality of beginning of 1975. Associate Professor Diana senior research personnel in the department has Temple was appointed Head of the Department greatly benefited both research and teaching, and continued in that position until a new although the expansion in personnel and research appointment was made in 1979. activity has placed considerable strain on laboratory space and other facilities. Clinical Pharmacology John Shaw was Head of the Department of Pharmacology from 1979 to 1982, while Graham During the 1970s, there was recognition of Johnston held this position from 1983 to 1990. the need to develop clinical pharmacology in In 1985, on the initiative of Bruce Cobbin medical schools. Efforts to establish Chairs of the Department established The Roland H. Thorp Clinical Pharmacology were supported by the Prize for the most proficient student in the third Commonwealth Department of Health and the year science course. Roland Thorp received an Australasian Society for Clinical and Experimental honorary DSc from the University of Sydney in Pharmacologists. In fact, there had earlier been a 1986. He died suddenly in 1987. Wellcome Research Fellowship in Clinical In 1987, the 10th International Congress of Pharmacology in the Department of Medicine at Pharmacology, a triennial event, was held in this medical school, occupied for five years from Sydney. Many members of the Department were 1964 by M.R. Playoust. heavily involved, and this Department together with In 1978, Reckitt and Colman Australia Ltd, that at the University of was a firm which had close ties with the Department, host to about 3000 overseas pharmacologists. was persuaded by the Dean of Medicine, Post-congress satellite meetings on research in Professor Richard Gye, to endow a Chair of dopamine, respiratory pharmacology and serotonin Clinical Pharmacology within the Department. were also arranged by several members of staff. Reckitt and Colman's generosity now meant there were two Chairs to be advertised. Consequently, The 1990s the Senate appointed John Shaw, a medical graduate from the University of Sydney, as The Department's expertise in medicinal Professor of Clinical Pharmacology in 1979. chemistry was recognised by the naming of The Changes to the medical curriculum were Adrien Albert Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, negotiated to increase the time allocated to where Adrien Albert had worked during the 1940s Pharmacology, particularly to allow teaching of and where tacrine was first synthesised. The Clinical Pharmacology. John Shaw added laboratory was to be officially opened by Albert in expertise to cardiovascular areas of the January 1990. Unfortunately, his health suddenly Department, and established its clinical teaching. deteriorated and he died in Canberra on 29 December 1989. As he fell ill, he learned also that The 1980s he had been awarded an honorary DSc by the University of Sydney on the nomination of the The research activities of an already Department. This degree was conferred productive Department were greatly strengthened posthumously in March 1990. with the appointment of Graham Johnston to the Paul Seale, a medical graduate from the Chair of Pharmacology that had been vacant since University of Sydney, was appointed Head of Page 4

Department in 1991 and Professor of Clinical Melbourne in 1992 and was made a Pro Vice Pharmacology in 1992. He served as Head of Chancellor in 1999. David Jackson (PhD 1970 Department until Macdonald Christie, a PhD and long time member of staff) became Professor graduate of the Department in 1983, was of Pharmacology at the University of Otago in New appointed Head of Department in 1999. Zealand in 1998. John Skerritt (PhD 1984), who Members of the Department helped received the first university medal in pharmacology organise the very successful 13th International at the University of Sydney in 1980 and published Meeting of the International Society for 34 papers as a PhD student, was appointed Neurochemistry in Sydney in 1991 and a satellite Deputy Director of the Australian Centre for meeting on Amino Acid Neurochemistry in the International Agricultural Research in 1999. Hunter Valley, reflecting the Department's strength Dorothy Thorp was remembered for her in neurochemistry. long time commitment to the Department by the Continuing the development of clinical establishment in 1998 of the Dorothy Thorp Prize pharmacology, Gillian Shenfield was appointed as awarded for excellence in science communication a Clinical Professor in Pharmacology at Royal by a student in the Honours course. Continuing North Shore Hospital in 1993. Judith Black (PhD the tradition of Roland and Dorothy Thorp, staff of 1980) was appointed to a personal chair in the Department served the scientific and wider pharmacology in 1997 in recognition of her communities in many ways. Two have been made research work in respiratory pharmacology, Members of the Order of Australia: Diana Temple another major research strength in the for 'service to medical and scientific research, Department. She formed The Respiratory particularly in the field of respiratory pharmacology, Research Group with Carol Armour (PhD 1981), as an advocate for the role of women in science who subsequently was appointed to a lectureship and in promoting an understanding of science by in the Department of Pharmacy at the same time the general public'; and Graham Johnston for maintaining the collaborative activities of the 'services to bio-organic chemistry and group. Graham Starmer established a pharmacology, to scientific organisations and to Psychopharmacology Unit at Rozelle Hospital with science policy development'. a special interest in the effects of drugs on driving. At the end of the 1990s, the Department Collaborative links with medicinal chemists at the has record student numbers with its third year Royal Danish School of Pharmacy were science numbers being larger than those choosing established, which saw the exchange of staff and third year chemistry. The Department has students between Copenhagen and Sydney. developed great research strengths in CNS and Graduates of the Department continued to respiratory pharmacology, and in medicinal be appointed to senior positions. Colin Gibbs chemistry. It is to be hoped that this growth in (PhD 1962) became Professor of Physiology at student numbers and research performance will Monash University in 1991. James Angus (PhD lead to the provision of new facilities 1974) succeeded Mike Rand (PhD 1957) as commensurate with the very high quality of our Professor of Pharmacology at the University of staff and students.

This brief history of pharmacology at the University of Sydney is based on the article by Associate Professor Bruce Cobbin in 'The Centenary Book of the Faculty of Medicine in the University of Sydney' (eds. JA Young and AJ Sefton) in 1984 and updated by Professor Graham Johnston in December 1999 to mark the 50th birthday of the Department. We thank Jane Hanrahan for the logo. This is a 'working document', so please send details of errors, omissions and further information to Graham Johnston at the Department of Pharmacology - phone 02 9351 6117; fax 02 9351 2891; e-mail [email protected]

The Department of Pharmacology web site is at: http://www.usyd.edu.au/pharmacology