David Gadsby was a cell physiologist who was renowned for his work on the proteins found in cell membranes. Such proteins typically act as pumps or channels that move substances in or out of cells. Although initially considered to be unrelated entities, David’s work overturned this view to suggest that these two types of conduit are more closely related.
His research focused on the mechanism and structure of the sodium–potassium pump, found in all eukaryotic cells and responsible for maintaining their normal state. He also defined a more detailed structure, and mechanism of action, of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator protein. Mutations in this cell membrane channel are responsible for the disease cystic fibrosis.
David was Patrick A. Gerschel Family Professor and Head of the Laboratory of Cardiac and Membrane Physiology at the Rockefeller University. He published around 80 papers in his field and received a number of awards, including the Cole Award of the Biophysical Society in 1995, and a MERIT Award from the National Institutes of Health in 1998.
Professor David Gadsby FRS died on 9 March 2019.
Biographical Memoir
Professional position
- Patrick A Gerschel Family Professor and Head, Laboratory of Cardiac and Membrane Physiology, Rockefeller University
Subject groups
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Molecules of Life
Biochemistry and molecular biology, Biophysics and structural biology
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Multicellular Organisms
Physiology incl biophysics of cells (non-clinical)
