Professor Brian Leonard Obituary
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the departure of Prof. Brian E. Leonard, the distinguished Emeritus Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Galway, Ireland, who passed away on December 27th, 2023, at the age of 87. Prof. Leonard, a revered Fellow Emeritus, joined the ACNP in 1983 and had a celebrated career, significantly influencing the field of psychopharmacology, especially in studying depression and the interaction between the brain and immune system. He educated numerous students worldwide and held several leadership roles, including President of the British Association for Psychopharmacology (BAP) between 1986 and 1988.
In addition, led the Society for the Investigation of Stress from 1998 to 2000 and the Lundbeck Institute for Neuropsychiatric Research from 2004 to 2011. From 2004 to 2006, he was President of the Collegium Internationale Neuropsychopharmacologicum (CINP) and chaired the organizing committee for the CINP’s successful meeting in Glasgow in 1998. His accolades include the BAP’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008, the Arvid Carlsson medal from CINP in 2012, and the Kraepelin-Alzheimer medal from Munich University in the same year. He also contributed to six international psychopharmacology journals and was the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Human Psychopharmacology from 1995 to 2000.
Though English by birth, Prof. Leonard deeply connected with Ireland, particularly the scenic Galway region where he resided. He earned a BSc and PhD in Medical Biochemistry from the University of Birmingham, UK, in 1959 and 1962, respectively. He then worked at the University of Nottingham, UK, and in the pharmaceutical industry, including ICI Ltd and Organon Laboratories. In 1974, he became the inaugural Chair of Pharmacology at University College Galway, a position he held for 25 years until his retirement in 1999. He later served as a Visiting Professor at the University of Maastricht and an Honorary Professor at Ludwig Maxmillian University, Munich.
Dedicated to global education, Prof. Leonard led the CINP educational committee from 2006 to 2018, fostering the next generation of psychopharmacologists and biological psychiatrists worldwide. He supervised over 40 PhD students and many postdoctoral researchers, overcoming funding challenges through collaboration and an extensive global network. Furthermore, published over 450 papers, notably on the development of animal models of depression, such as the olfactory bulbectomy model, and was a pioneer in psychoneuroimmunology, linking the immune system to depression and schizophrenia. He also authored esteemed textbooks, including “Fundamentals of Psychopharmacology” and “Fundamentals of Psychoneuroimmunology.”
Remembered for his generosity, advocacy for social causes, efforts to destigmatize mental illness, and his unique humor. His life was richly lived and impactful. A memorial service held on January 12th, 2024, in Galway. Mourned by his wife Helga, his daughters Ingrid and Heide, and his grandchildren.
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