Peter Molan | |
---|---|
Born | Peter Charles Molan 20 October 1943
Cardiff, Wales |
Died | 16 September 2015
Hamilton, New Zealand | (aged 71)
Alma mater | University of Liverpool |
Spouses |
Winifred Ruth Whitcomb
(
m. 1963; died 1991)
|
Scientific career | |
Fields | Biochemistry |
Institutions | University of Waikato |
Thesis | Respirometric studies of the metabolism occurring in saliva (1969) |
Website |
www |
Peter Charles Molan MBE (20 October 1943 – 16 September 2015) was a New Zealand biochemist, noted for his elucidation of the medicinal properties of mānuka honey.
Born in Cardiff, Wales, on 20 October 1943, [1] Molan was the son of Vera Molan (née Boswell) and her husband Charles Molan. In 1963 Molan married Winifred Ruth Whitcomb in Cardiff. [1] [2] They migrated to New Zealand with their four children in 1973, and became naturalised New Zealanders in 1977. [1] [3] Ruth Molan died in 1991, and Molan later remarried. [3]
Molan studied at the University of Wales, graduating with a Bachelor of Science with honours in biochemistry in 1965. [4] He then undertook doctoral research at the University of Liverpool, [3] where he awarded a PhD in dental science in 1969. [4] [5] His thesis was entitled Respirometric studies of the metabolism occurring in saliva. [5] A lecturer in dental science at Liverpool from 1968 to 1973, he took up a lectureship at the University of Waikato in Hamilton in 1973, and established the first biochemistry course at that institution. [3] [4] He rose to the position of professor of biological sciences (2003), and was the director of the Honey Research Unit at Waikato from 1995 until 2013. [3] [4] He retired from the University of Waikato in 2014. [4]
In 1981 Molan began to investigate the antiseptic properties of mānuka honey. [3] His research identified that mānuka honey has significant non-peroxide antimicrobial activity. [6] He went on to establish a grading system, known as the "Molan Gold Standard", for the quality of mānuka honey, based on the honey's methylglyoxal content. [7] He also investigated the use of honey as an aid to the healing of wounds. [8]
Over his career Molan wrote or co-wrote over 90 refereed scientific papers and seven book chapters, and gave over 60 conference presentations. He was co-editor of two books on the use of honey for wound management, was awarded several patents, and wrote numerous magazine and newspaper articles. [9]
In the 1995 Queen's Birthday Honours, Molan was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to the honey industry. [10] In 2001 he was awarded a New Zealand Science and Technology silver medal by the Royal Society of New Zealand, [11] for "revolutionising the New Zealand honey industry and adding significantly to the value of their product." [3] He was twice honoured at the KuDos Hamilton Science Excellence Awards, receiving the inaugural science entrepreneur award in 2007, [12] and a lifetime achievement award in 2013. [13]
Molan died from cancer at his home in Hamilton on 16 September 2015. [3] [14]
Peter Molan | |
---|---|
Born | Peter Charles Molan 20 October 1943
Cardiff, Wales |
Died | 16 September 2015
Hamilton, New Zealand | (aged 71)
Alma mater | University of Liverpool |
Spouses |
Winifred Ruth Whitcomb
(
m. 1963; died 1991)
|
Scientific career | |
Fields | Biochemistry |
Institutions | University of Waikato |
Thesis | Respirometric studies of the metabolism occurring in saliva (1969) |
Website |
www |
Peter Charles Molan MBE (20 October 1943 – 16 September 2015) was a New Zealand biochemist, noted for his elucidation of the medicinal properties of mānuka honey.
Born in Cardiff, Wales, on 20 October 1943, [1] Molan was the son of Vera Molan (née Boswell) and her husband Charles Molan. In 1963 Molan married Winifred Ruth Whitcomb in Cardiff. [1] [2] They migrated to New Zealand with their four children in 1973, and became naturalised New Zealanders in 1977. [1] [3] Ruth Molan died in 1991, and Molan later remarried. [3]
Molan studied at the University of Wales, graduating with a Bachelor of Science with honours in biochemistry in 1965. [4] He then undertook doctoral research at the University of Liverpool, [3] where he awarded a PhD in dental science in 1969. [4] [5] His thesis was entitled Respirometric studies of the metabolism occurring in saliva. [5] A lecturer in dental science at Liverpool from 1968 to 1973, he took up a lectureship at the University of Waikato in Hamilton in 1973, and established the first biochemistry course at that institution. [3] [4] He rose to the position of professor of biological sciences (2003), and was the director of the Honey Research Unit at Waikato from 1995 until 2013. [3] [4] He retired from the University of Waikato in 2014. [4]
In 1981 Molan began to investigate the antiseptic properties of mānuka honey. [3] His research identified that mānuka honey has significant non-peroxide antimicrobial activity. [6] He went on to establish a grading system, known as the "Molan Gold Standard", for the quality of mānuka honey, based on the honey's methylglyoxal content. [7] He also investigated the use of honey as an aid to the healing of wounds. [8]
Over his career Molan wrote or co-wrote over 90 refereed scientific papers and seven book chapters, and gave over 60 conference presentations. He was co-editor of two books on the use of honey for wound management, was awarded several patents, and wrote numerous magazine and newspaper articles. [9]
In the 1995 Queen's Birthday Honours, Molan was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to the honey industry. [10] In 2001 he was awarded a New Zealand Science and Technology silver medal by the Royal Society of New Zealand, [11] for "revolutionising the New Zealand honey industry and adding significantly to the value of their product." [3] He was twice honoured at the KuDos Hamilton Science Excellence Awards, receiving the inaugural science entrepreneur award in 2007, [12] and a lifetime achievement award in 2013. [13]
Molan died from cancer at his home in Hamilton on 16 September 2015. [3] [14]