The Queen's College Record 2020

team player, recognised for his humility and generosity. John served others even in his
last breath as it was always his wish to donate his organs, an act that has undoubtedly
transformed many lives.
Obituaries
John leaves Sarah and their three children: Thomas (8), Anna (7), and Matthew (5).
His elder siblings, Peter and Helen, have lost a dear brother. Few of us, medics or not,
could ever live up to his very high standards and kind work ethic. His motto – ‘Be kind
to one another’ – will be remembered as we continue to treat patients in some very
challenging times. We are all devastated at the loss of this gentle giant.
D J Unsworth (originally published in BMJ 2019;367:l5869, and reprinted with their
permission)
MARTIN GREEN
Dr Martin Green FRSC, who spent six years at Queen’s
from 1973, reading Chemistry as an undergraduate,
then staying on for his DPhil, died suddenly from a brain
haemorrhage on 16 September 2019.
He was born in Belfast in 1953, and lived there until
his mid-teens, attending Royal Belfast Academical
Institution, until his family moved to Lincolnshire at the
onset of the Troubles.
At Queen’s he was a notable sportsman, representing the College in rugby and rowing,
with an enthusiasm that led one of his tutors to remind him that, ‘You’re here to read
Chemistry, not Rowing.’ He obviously listened, progressing to do a doctorate, but still
prone to distractions: he met Monika, another chemist who was to become his wife
and companion for 40 years, as they both worked in the labs on South Parks Road.
Martin was a rare one-company man, working at Unilever from his first job until his
retirement in 2015 as Head of Human Biology in the Life Sciences Group. Being
a research chemist was his forte, turning leading-edge science into products of
practical value. He specialised in skin repair and rejuvenation treatments, reversing
brittle bone disease, stimulating hair condition and growth, gum health, vascular
health and wound healing.
He was an early proponent of gene technology. A notable success was when he led
the Unilever team which identified plant lipids that could activate a regulatory gene
called PPAR that is present in skin cells and can slow down the ageing process. He
and his research teams were granted an unusually large number of patents – more
than 40.
126 The Queen’s College | College Record 2020