David Colquhoun

David Colquhoun

David Colquhoun (born 19 July 1936) is a British pharmacologist at University College London (UCL). He has contributed significantly to the understanding of ligand-gated ion channels and the application of methods for the analysis of drug-receptor interactions. Colquhoun is also known for his work in promoting the use of evidence-based medicine and criticising pseudoscience and alternative medicine.

Early life and education

David Colquhoun was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He attended the University of Edinburgh, where he received his BSc in Pharmacology in 1959. He then went on to earn his PhD in 1964 from the same institution.

Career

After completing his PhD, Colquhoun moved to the University of Southampton, where he worked as a lecturer in pharmacology. In 1969, he joined the faculty of the University of London, where he served as the A.J. Clark Chair of Pharmacology until 2004. He is currently an Honorary Fellow in the Department of Pharmacology at UCL.

Colquhoun's research has focused on the mechanisms of ion channels, particularly those that are activated by neurotransmitters. He has developed mathematical methods for analysing the interactions between drugs and receptors, which have been widely adopted in the field of pharmacology.

In addition to his scientific research, Colquhoun has been a vocal critic of pseudoscience and alternative medicine. He has written extensively on these topics, both in academic journals and on his personal blog, DC's Improbable Science.

Awards and honours

Colquhoun has received numerous awards and honours for his contributions to pharmacology and for his advocacy of evidence-based medicine. These include the Wellcome Gold Medal in Pharmacology (1982), the Gaddum Memorial Award (1985), and the Nature Lifetime Achievement Award for Mentoring in Science (2005).

See also

• Pharmacology
• Evidence-based medicine
• Pseudoscience
• Alternative medicine

External links

• David Colquhoun's UCL profile
• DC's Improbable Science