He joined the faculty at Yale[3] in pharmacology in 1968, and later served as chairman of the department and as director of the division of biological sciences (1975–1978). He retired in 2003.[2]
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1976. According to his nomination citation "Ritchie's early work was concerned with the factors affecting the onset and duration of the active state in striated muscle, and with other aspects of the dynamics of muscular contraction. In 1954 he turned his attention to the properties of mammalian non-myelinated nerve fibres, and since then has made many distinguished contributions to our knowledge not only of some of the physiological functions served by such fibres, but also of the mechanism of conduction in them. In particular, he has been responsible for definitive studies of the mode of action of acetylcholine and local anaesthetics, of the ionic movements during nervous activity, of the temperature changes during the nervous impulse, of oxidative and glucose metabolism, and of the electrogenic sodium extrusion that underlies post-tetanic hyperpolarization. His most recent work on the specific and non-specific binding of tetrodotoxin has provided new information about the density of sodium channels in various types of nerve." [4]
Ritchie is known for asking the Central Intelligence Agency in 1975 to share its supply of saxitoxin[5] (which were used in suicide pills) with scientists for research and his work in neuroscience.[6] He was the co-author of numerous scientific and technical books and articles.[7]
^Rang, H. P. (2009). "Joseph Murdoch Ritchie. 10 June 1925 -- 9 July 2008". Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society. 55: 241–255. doi:10.1098/rsbm.2009.0011.
^ ab"Society for Neuroscience - J. Murdoch Ritchie Obituary". Retrieved 2011-07-11.
^Waxman, S. G.; Ritchie, J. M. (1993). "Molecular dissection of the myelinated axon". Annals of Neurology. 33 (2): 121–136. doi:10.1002/ana.410330202. PMID 7679565. S2CID 38116180.
^"List of Fellows of the Royal Society 1660 – 2007" (PDF). Royal Society. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
^Ritchie, J. M.; Rogart, R. B. (1977). "The binding of saxitoxin and tetrodotoxin to excitable tissue". Reviews of Physiology, Biochemistry and Pharmacology. Vol. 79. pp. 1–50. doi:10.1007/BFb0037088. ISBN978-3-540-08326-9. PMID 335473.
^Waxman, S.; Ritchie, J. (1985). "Organization of ion channels in the myelinated nerve fiber". Science. 228 (4707): 1502–1507. Bibcode:1985Sci...228.1502W. doi:10.1126/science.2409596. PMID 2409596.
^Pearce, Jeremy (July 29, 2008). J. Murdoch Ritchie, 83, Yale Biophysicist, Is Dead. New York Times
March 17, 2024
murdoch, ritchie, joseph, murdoch, ritchie, june, 1925, july, 2008, scottish, born, american, biophysicist, professor, yale, university, joseph, murdoch, ritchieborn, 1925, june, 1925aberdeen, scotlanddiedjuly, 2008, 2008, aged, hamden, connecticutspousebrenda. Joseph Murdoch Ritchie June 10 1925 July 9 2008 1 was a Scottish born American biophysicist and a professor at Yale University Joseph Murdoch RitchieBorn 1925 06 10 June 10 1925Aberdeen ScotlandDiedJuly 9 2008 2008 07 09 aged 83 Hamden ConnecticutSpouseBrenda Bigland RitchieChildrenAlasdair RitchieJocelyn Ritchie Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 ReferencesEarly life and education editRitchie studied mathematics and physics at the University of Aberdeen then did his doctorate at University College London in biophysics in 1952 2 Career editHe joined the faculty at Yale 3 in pharmacology in 1968 and later served as chairman of the department and as director of the division of biological sciences 1975 1978 He retired in 2003 2 He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1976 According to his nomination citation Ritchie s early work was concerned with the factors affecting the onset and duration of the active state in striated muscle and with other aspects of the dynamics of muscular contraction In 1954 he turned his attention to the properties of mammalian non myelinated nerve fibres and since then has made many distinguished contributions to our knowledge not only of some of the physiological functions served by such fibres but also of the mechanism of conduction in them In particular he has been responsible for definitive studies of the mode of action of acetylcholine and local anaesthetics of the ionic movements during nervous activity of the temperature changes during the nervous impulse of oxidative and glucose metabolism and of the electrogenic sodium extrusion that underlies post tetanic hyperpolarization His most recent work on the specific and non specific binding of tetrodotoxin has provided new information about the density of sodium channels in various types of nerve 4 Ritchie is known for asking the Central Intelligence Agency in 1975 to share its supply of saxitoxin 5 which were used in suicide pills with scientists for research and his work in neuroscience 6 He was the co author of numerous scientific and technical books and articles 7 Personal life editHe was married to Brenda Bigland Ritchie a physiologist They had a son Alasdair Ritchie a biologist and a daughter Jocelyn Ritchie a neuropsychologist 8 References edit Rang H P 2009 Joseph Murdoch Ritchie 10 June 1925 9 July 2008 Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society 55 241 255 doi 10 1098 rsbm 2009 0011 a b Society for Neuroscience J Murdoch Ritchie Obituary Retrieved 2011 07 11 Waxman S G Ritchie J M 1993 Molecular dissection of the myelinated axon Annals of Neurology 33 2 121 136 doi 10 1002 ana 410330202 PMID 7679565 S2CID 38116180 List of Fellows of the Royal Society 1660 2007 PDF Royal Society Retrieved 25 January 2017 Ritchie J M Rogart R B 1977 The binding of saxitoxin and tetrodotoxin to excitable tissue Reviews of Physiology Biochemistry and Pharmacology Vol 79 pp 1 50 doi 10 1007 BFb0037088 ISBN 978 3 540 08326 9 PMID 335473 Waxman S Ritchie J 1985 Organization of ion channels in the myelinated nerve fiber Science 228 4707 1502 1507 Bibcode 1985Sci 228 1502W doi 10 1126 science 2409596 PMID 2409596 https scholar google com scholar q j murdoch ritchie J Murdoch Ritchie in Google Scholar Pearce Jeremy July 29 2008 J Murdoch Ritchie 83 Yale Biophysicist Is Dead New York Times Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title J Murdoch Ritchie amp oldid 1188074944, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
