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Graham Liggins

New Zealand physician (1926–2010) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Graham Liggins
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Sir Graham Collingwood "Mont" Liggins CBE FRS FRSNZ[1] (24 June 1926  24 August 2010) was a New Zealand medical scientist. A specialist in obstetrical research, he is best known for his pioneering use of hormone injections (antenatal steroids) in 1972[2] to accelerate the lung growth of premature babies. This made it possible for many preterm babies with lung problems to survive.

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Early life and education

Liggins was born in 1926 in Thames; his father was a doctor.[3] He attended Thames High School and Auckland Grammar School.[4] He graduated with his medical degree from the University of Otago in 1949 and a Diploma in Obstetrics from the RCOG in London the following year.[4] In 1969 he graduated with a PhD at the University of Auckland.[3] His doctoral thesis was titled The Role of the foetal adrenal glands in the mechanism of initiation of parturition in the ewe.[5]

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Career

Liggins worked as an obstetrician at National Women's Hospital in Auckland from the late 1950s where he carried out research into the reduction of death rates of premature babies.[3]

In 1971 he took up a chair as professor of obstetrics and gynaecological endocrinology at the University of Auckland.[3] In 1972, following a trial of pre-natal corticosteroids, he published his study which established that hormone treatment could improve lung development and prevent respiratory distress syndrome in premature babies.[3][4]

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Honours and awards

Liggins was awarded the Polar Medal for Antarctic research in 1980.[4] In the 1983 Queen's Birthday Honours, Liggins was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to medical research.[6] He was made a Knight Bachelor, also for services to medical research, in the 1991 Queen's Birthday Honours.[3][4][7]

Death and legacy

Liggins died on 24 August 2010, aged 84, following a long illness.[1][8] The Liggins Institute, founded by Peter Gluckman, was named in his honour.[9] Gluckman "described him as New Zealand's greatest ever medical scientist. He showed the importance of serendipity in clinical science, and the importance of moving rapidly to application."[9]

Selected publications

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References

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