Mick very rarely missed a BSN meeting even though they usually fell around the time of his and Wendy’s wedding anniversary in September which no doubt initiated ongoing marital discussion into his life priorities. He considered the BSN (or the British Neuroendocrine Group as they were known until 2000) to be his favourite scientific society and I will never forget the look of delight on his face when he was informed at the 1998 meeting in Cambridge that he had been elected onto the committee. Mick took over from Simon Luckman as treasurer in which post he served for five years, standing down from the committee only last year while remaining committed to the future success of the BSN.

Mick was a fine ambassador for British neuroendocrinology and was invited to present his research at many international conferences, notably as a symposium speaker at the ISN meetings in Budapest in 1994 and in Kitakyushu in 1998. In addition, he had been invited to chair a symposium at the ISN meeting in Pittsburgh this year. He was also an invited symposium speaker at the Endocrine Society meeting in Minneapolis in 1997 and at the British Endocrine Society meeting in Harrogate in 2005, as well as at many smaller specialist national and international meetings. He published well over 100 peer-reviewed research papers as well as dozens of invited chapters and review articles.

Mick was a great advocate for achieving a scientific and social balance to a conference. Many of us are indebted to him for his unerring ability to locate atmospheric bars and fine restaurants in foreign cities, his abiding philosophy being that an evening should never be permitted to end early where the open doors of licensed premises beckoned. Sometimes it was hard work keeping pace with him, particularly when we faced an early talk the following morning, but his inimitable company always made the effort worthwhile.

Promoted to Reader at the University of Bristol in 2005 on the basis of the international quality of his research, and in the same year appointed Post-graduate Director of Education for the Faculty of Medicine, it was apparent that Mick’s career was on a high. The greatest sadness is that he died when, having achieved so much in his teaching and research, there was still so much of quality to come. Our thoughts are with his wife Wendy in this time of sadness. Mick’s funeral was held in Devon on March 17th and a celebration of his life will be held in Bristol on 4th July. Please reply by email if you wish to attend as numbers will be limited.

David Jessop
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