Abstract
We note with sadness the death of Philip Nicholas O’Donoghue, known affectionately to friends and colleagues as PNOD, who was one of the founding fathers of Laboratory Animal Science, Technology and Welfare.
Philip was born on October 9, 1929 in London. He was awarded a Bachelor of Science in Zoology in 1952 and a Master of Science in 1959, both at the University of Nottingam. He began his career as an Experimental Officer with the Agricultural Research Council in 1952, and in 1962 moved to the National Institute of Research in Dairying (N.I.R.D.), University of Reading, as a Science Officer. In 1966 he became a Senior Lecturer at the University of London, and was appointed Curator of the laboratory animal facilities at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School where he remained until 1982 when he became General Secretary of the Institute of Biology until 1989. Philip was a Fellow of the Institute of Biology and a Member of the Royal Society of Medicine, where he was Section President from 1985 until 1986.
Throughout his career as a scientist, Philip was passionate about the pursuit of Laboratory Animal Science and fervently promoted education and training, with the aim of improving scientific quality and animal welfare. To this end, he was instrumental in founding the journal Laboratory Animals (LAJ) in 1966 and was its first editor-in-chief, a position he held until 1982. He was a very active member of Laboratory Animals Science Association (LASA), as well as serving as President, and was revered in his capacity as a member and as president, both nationally and internationally. He was noted for his strong and positive views on the direction that should be taken by Laboratory Animal Science, and on the need for national and international cooperation if it was to develop constructively. He wrote the History of LASA for its 25th Anniversary and contributed to writing the History of its 50th Anniversary by providing helpful and constructive insights to the authors, in his own inimitable entertaining way. He also wrote FELASA's first constitution as well as being President for a time.
In addition to his role in LAJ, LASA and FELASA, Philip wrote, contributed to, or edited a number of pivotal textbooks and articles on many aspects of Laboratory Animal Science, ethics and welfare. He also wrote a key article for The Scientist magazine in 1987, concerning “A more restrictive law aimed at British biologists who use laboratory animals”, i.e. the introduction of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act, 1986.
On a more personal note, Philip was interested in music and family history, and allegedly had a fondness for good single malt whisky, as well as being something of a connoisseur.
Philip was, and will remain, one of the key individuals in the history of Laboratory Animal Science, and will be sadly missed. Our thoughts are with his family.
John Gregory, Eleanor Weir
January 2017