Fertility research pioneer James Boyer Brown, who was born in New Zealand, has died in Melbourne. He was 90.
Among his achievements, Prof Brown revolutionised the use of gonadotrophins for the safe induction of ovulation, was behind methods to measure urinary oestrogen during pregnancy and involved in IVF research.
Educated at Auckland University College, Prof Brown worked in Auckland Hospital's laboratories early during World War 2.
He developed methods for synthesising or regenerating chemicals that were in short supply, using techniques that often required innovative use of materials available.
After the war in 1947, he developed an interest in endocrinology and reproduction. He concluded that the most important requirement in human reproduction was the development of a highly accurate method for timing ovulation in women, similar to the phenomenon of oestrus in animals.
He then worked in Edinburgh under Professor Guy Marrian, one of the discoverers of oestrogens.
D espite attempts by Prof Marrian to dissuade him from his project due to its complexity, Prof Brown persisted and developed a chemical method for measuring the oestrogen levels in the urine.
Using this new method of measurement, Prof Brown confirmed the elegant patterns of oestrogen production throughout the menstrual cycle.
His method was the "gold standard" for measuring these hormones for almost 20 years, until superseded by radioimmunoassays on blood.
Possibly one of the greatest contributions made by Prof Brown in his early days in Edinburgh was the use of human gonadotrophin for the induction of ovulation.
In 1962 he accepted an appointment as First Assistant in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Melbourne.
It was here that he showed his true genius and, in conjunction with his colleagues at the Royal Women's Hospital, he revolutionised the use of gonadotrophins for the safe induction of ovulation.
He refined his method for measuring urinary oestrogen, making it effectively a routine test which could be performed in a few hours.
That enabled these drugs to be used in a safe manner, all but eliminating the risk of high order multiple pregnancies which had been a feature of this treatment up until that time.
He further modified his rapid assay method to enable urinary oestrogen to be measured during pregnancy, which was used to great effect by obstetricians as a test of placental function and fetal well-being during pregnancy.
In 1971 he was given a Personal Chair in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Melbourne and was a member of the IVF team led by prominent Australian gynaecologist Carl Wood.
His work and understanding of ovarian function has been linked to the development of the early techniques for egg pick up in IVF and were used in the first successful IVF pregnancy in Britain.
Prof Brown retired from the University in 1985 and was accorded the title of Emeritus Professor. Nonetheless he continued to work in the field.
He had established, in 1962, a close working and personal relationship with Drs John and Lyn Billings, who developed the concept of fertility recognition through the changes in cervical mucus secretion, forming the basis of Natural Family Planning.
He validated their findings and continued to work closely with them, especially in his latter years when he developed the Home Ovarian Monitor -- a kit that can be easily used at home.
It was a quantum leap from his early methods, where one fully trained worker could do only 10 assays per week.
Right up to the time of his death, Prof Brown continued to work on various scientific projects and was involved with the World Health Organisation's Special Programme of Research in Human Reproduction.
He is survived by his wife, Wendy, and their four children.
