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Historical Records of Australian Science Historical Records of Australian Science Society
The history of science, pure and applied, in Australia, New Zealand and the southwest Pacific
EDITORIAL

David Roderick Curtis 1927–2017

Stephen J. Redman A C and Robert Porter B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Australian National University, 62 Kensington Rd, Bolwarra, NSW 2320, Australia.

B Emeritus Professor, Monash University and ANU.

C Corresponding author. Email: steve.redman@anu.edu.au

Historical Records of Australian Science 31(2) 152-156 https://doi.org/10.1071/HR19016
Published: 3 June 2020

Abstract

David Curtis was a pioneer in the identification of excitatory and inhibitory transmitters released at synapses in the central nervous system. He made major contributions to the identification of gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) and glycine as inhibitory transmitters released at inhibitory synapses. His work laid the foundation for the subsequent acceptance that L-glutamate was the major excitatory transmitter. David’s scientific work led to him receiving many accolades and honours, including Fellowships of the Australian Academy of Sciences, the Royal Society and a Companion of the Order of Australia.


References

Australian Academy of Science (1990) Biology: the Common Threads, Canberra.

Blythe, M. (1993) ‘Professor David Curtis, neurophysiologist’, in ‘Interviews with Australian scientists’, https://science.org.au/learning/general-audience/history/interviews-australian-scientists/professor-david-curtis, viewed February 2020.

Curtis, D. R. (1964) ‘Microelectrophoresis’, in Physical Techniques in Biological Research, ed. W. L. Nastuk, New York, pp. 144–190.

Curtis, D. R. (1993) ‘Early excitement about amino acids’, plenary lecture, Australian Physiological and Pharmalogical Society.

Curtis, D. R. (2006) ‘David R. Curtis’, in The History of Neuroscience in Autobiography, vol. 5, ed. L. R. Squire, Burlington, Mass., pp. 171–225.

Curtis, D. R., and Eccles, R. M. (1958) The excitation of Renshaw cells by pharmacological agents applied electrophoretically, The Journal of Physiology, 141, 435–445.
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Curtis, D. R., and Johnston, G. A. R. (1974) Amino acid transmitters in the mammalian central nervous system, Ergebnisse der Physiologie, Biologischen Chemie und Experimentellen Pharmakologie, 69, 97–188.
| 4151806PubMed |

Curtis, D. R., and Watkins, J. C. (1965) The pharmacology of amino acids related to gamma-aminobutyric acid, Pharmacological Reviews, 17, 347–392.
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Curtis, D. R., Hosli, L., and Johnston, G. A. R. (1968a) The hyperpolarisation of spinal motoneurones by glycine and related amino acids, Experimental Brain Research, 5, 238–258.
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Curtis, D. R., Hosli, L., and Johnston, G. A. R. (1968b) A pharmacological study of the depression of spinal neurones by glycine and related amino acids, Experimental Brain Research, 6, 1–18.
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Fenner, F., and Curtis, D. R. (2001) The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Gundaroo, NSW.

McPhee, P. (1999) Pansy: a Life of Roy Douglas Wright, Melbourne.

McPhee, P. (2012) ‘Wright, Sir Roy Douglas (Pansy) (1907–1990)’, in ‘Australian Dictionary of Biography’, 18. http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/wright-sir-roy-douglas-pansy-1068/text26066, viewed February 2020.

Morgan, D. G., and Best, E. W. (eds) (1967) Biological science: the web of life, Canberra.

Valentine, E. (2005) The War of the Soups and the Sparks, New York.