Richard Hume Adrian, 2nd Baron AdrianFRS[1] (16 October 1927 – 4 April 1995) was aBritish peer andphysiologist.
Richard Hume Adrian was born inCambridge in 1927, as the only son ofEdgar Adrian, 1st Baron Adrian and his wife,Hester Agnes Pinsent, amental health worker. His older sister, Anne Pinsent Adrian, married the physiologistRichard Keynes (a direct descendant ofCharles Darwin) while his twin sister, Jennet Adrian, married Peter Watson Campbel.
Adrian's father won aNobel Prize in 1932, wasPresident of the Royal Society 1950–1955 and was createdBaron Adrian in 1955.
In 1967 he married Lucy Caroe, historical geographer. She was the daughter of the architectAlban Caroe and her grandfathers wereW. D. Caröe andWilliam Bragg. They had no children, and on his death in 1995, the title Baron Adrian became extinct.
He was the great-uncle ofSkandar Keynes, who had a leading role in theChronicles of Narnia films.
Richard Adrian was educated atSwarthmore College andWestminster School, followed by reading medicine atTrinity College, Cambridge, andUniversity College, London. He pursued advanced research into cellular physiology, becoming Professor of Cell Physiology at Cambridge University in 1978. He was a fellow ofCorpus Christi College, Cambridge (1955–61) andChurchill College, Cambridge (1961-81) and was Master ofPembroke College, Cambridge from 1981 to 1992. He also served a term asVice-Chancellor of Cambridge University. Adrian was elected aFellow of the Royal Society for his contributions to physiology in 1977.[1] In 1987, he was elected to theAmerican Philosophical Society.[2]
In 1977 he became the second Baron Adrian after the death of his father. He was active in politics in theHouse of Lords,[3] sitting as across-bencher.[4] He was a trustee of a number of national institutions, including theBritish Museum and theBritish Library.
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| Preceded by | Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge 1981–1992 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge 1985–1987 | Succeeded by |
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| Preceded by | Baron Adrian 1977–1995 | Extinct |
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