Obituary: Professor Sir Peter Mansfield FRS, 1933-2017

Tributes have been paid to Nobel laureate Professor Sir Peter Mansfield, who died at the age of 83 on 8th February.

Sir Peter was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 2003 for his role in the development of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, which is used today in research, diagnosis and the treatment of millions of patients around the world. The Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre at The University of Nottingham was named in honour of his pioneering work to change the face of modern medical science.

An eminent scientist and pioneer in his field, he was also “a loving and devoted husband, father and grandfather who will be hugely missed by all the family.”

Born in London in 1933, Sir Peter joined the University of Nottingham as a physics lecturer in 1964.Together with the late Paul Lauterbur, Sir Peter harnessed nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to visualise the internal structure of complex objects. In 1976 they produced the first human NMR image, a finger complete with bone, bone-marrow, nerves and arteries. Two years later, Sir Peter became the first person to step inside the very first whole-body scanner, so that it could be tested on a human subject — despite warnings that it could be potentially dangerous.

His long career also included many other distinguished awards including a knighthood, an MRC Millennium Medal, Fellowship of the Royal Society and a number of honorary degrees.

Sir Peter stayed at The University of Nottingham for his entire career, retiring in 1994. He was made Emeritus Professor and continued to collaborate with colleagues at the Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre at The University of Nottingham, remaining passionate about his work.