Nationality British/Swiss Name John Nicholls | Fields Physiology | |
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Born 19 December 1929 (age 94)
London ( 1929-12-19 ) Institutions University College London, Charing Cross Hospital, University of Oxford, Harvard University, Yale University, Stanford University, Biozentrum University of Basel, International School for Advanced Studies Books FROM NEURON TO BRAIN, From Neuron to Brain 4th Ed + Neurons in Action 2nd Ed Alma mater Charing Cross Hospital, University College London Institution University College London, Charing Cross Hospital | ||
John Graham Nicholls FRS is a British/Swiss physiologist.
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Life
Nicholls is professor emeritus of physiology. He was educated at Berkhamsted School and King's College London. He received his M.D. from Charing Cross Hospital and a Ph.D. from the Department of Biophysics at University College London in 1955. He worked at University College London, and the universities of Oxford, Harvard, Yale, and Stanford. In 1983 he became professor of pharmacology at the Biozentrum University of Basel. Since reaching emeritus status in 1998, he has been professor of neurobiology at the International School for Advanced Studies. The International Brain Research Organization has named a fellowship in his honor and he is a Fellow of the Royal Society.
Work
Nicholls is best known for his research in the field of neurobiology. In invertebrate and mammalian nervous systems he studied synaptic transmission as well as the problem of why neurons in the brain and spinal cord fail to regenerate after injury. For his studies he developed a new type of mammalian central nervous system (CNS) preparation which allowed the investigation of mechanisms involved in neurite outgrowth and CNS regeneration. In recent years he has started to study how the rhythm of respiration is generated by the nervous system. Additionally, he authored the book From Neuron to Brain, which is already in its fifth edition.