Papers of James Norman Davidson, 1911-1972, Professor of Biochemistry, University of Glasgow, Scotland, 1947-1972

• Papers relating to Davidson's early career, 1928-1944;
• Papers relating to Davidson's appointments, 1945-1947;
• Lecture notes, 1939-1969;
• Published articles, 1936-1970;
• Photographs, c1938-c1970s;
• Dr Robert Y Thomson's notes on Davidson and his photographs, 2001-2002.

James Norman Davidson was born 5 March 1911, son of James Davidson FRSE. He married Morag McLeod BSc PhD in 1938 and had 2 daughters. He was educated at George Watson's College, Edinburgh, Scotland, and the University of Edinburgh where he received a First Class Honours Chemistry degree in 1934 and an MB ChB in 1937. He was the Vans Dunlop Entrance Scholar in Medicine, Robert Wilson Memorial Prizeman and Wellcome Gold Medalist. He received his MD in 1939 and DSc in 1945. He was the Carnegie Research Fellow in Biochemistry at Kaiser Wilhelm Institut fur Zellphysiologie, Berlin-Dahlem 1937-1938, Lecturer in Biochemistry at University College, Dundee, Scotland 1938-1940, and at the University of Aberdeen 1940-1945. He was a member of the Scientific Staff of the Medical Research Council 1945-1946, and Professor of Biochemistry at the University of London 1946-1947. In 1947, he was appointed Gardiner Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Glasgow, the post in which he held until his death.

He guest lectured all over the world and was examiner in Biochemistry for many UK Universities. He was a member and office bearer of many organisations including the Board of Management of Glasgow Royal Infirmary from 1948-1968 and he was President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1958-1959. He published widely including The Biochemistry of Nucleic Acids which had its 9th edition published by Chapman and Hall in 1981. He died on 11 September 1972. His widow subsequently endowed a University of Glasgow Prize in Biochemistry in memory of her late husband. The University named the building which houses the Biochemistry Department after him in 1999.

Sources: Who's Who and University of Glasgow records

The arrangement of this material reflects the original order in which it was received

Access to records within this collection is open, however an appointment may be required. Please email Archives and Special Collections for advice: library-asc@glasgow.ac.uk

DC 024/1-47 deposited by Dr Morag Davidson, widow of Professor Davidson, November 1975. DC 024/49-94 deposited by Dr Robert Young Thomson, Honorary Lecturer in the Department of Biochemistry in 2001. Reference DC 024/48 is not allocated.

See also University of Glasgow Collections

Printed list and item level computerised list available in searchroom

Manual file level lists available at the National Registers of Archives in London (NRA 19929 Davidson) and Edinburgh (NRA(S) 1310)

No known copies

Reproduction subject to usual conditions: educational use and condition of documents. Applications for permission to quote should be sent to Archives and Special Collections, please email: library-asc@glasgow.ac.uk

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