Obituary: Sir David Jack

Abstract

The appointment, 50 years ago, of David Jack as research director of the medical products company Allen and Hanbury was not apparently one of particular significance. Jack's tenure in that post and, from 1978, as research director of Allen and Hanbury's parent company Glaxo, led to the discovery of medicines that turned the latter into one of the biggest players in the global pharmaceutical industry. Armed with a first-class degree, but no inclination to do a PhD, he joined Glasgow University as an assistant lecturer in pharmacology, leftto do his National Service, rejoined the university, and finally abandoned academia for good.