Dr. Gregory Ferrier

The University community was saddened to hear of the death of Dr. Gregory Ferrier, Professor of Pharmacology, on August 30th, at the age of 62. Greg passed away at home, surrounded by his loving family, after a short battle with cancer. He will be sadly missed by his wife of 36 years, Shirley (Faculty of Nursing); children, Suzanne (Dan Gautreau), Brodie (Jennifer Passmore), Heather (Ben Hirtle), and Melanie; granddaughters, Kaylee, Ashley, and Hannah; and his many friends and colleagues in the Faculty of Medicine. In addition to his passion for his work, Greg loved gardening, playing the piano, and relaxing at his cottage. He especially enjoyed spending time with his family.

A native Winnipegger, Greg's early academic career included a PhD from the University of Manitoba. He came to Dalhousie in 1981 with his young family from the Masonic Laboratory in Utica, New York. While there, he established an enviable international reputation as a thoughtful scientist engaged in work on fundamental problems of heart disease. He specialized in heart rhythm disturbances, and in a series of now classic papers, described the basis of a lethal form of dysrythmia that occurs after heart attacks. Greg tackled the big, important and difficult questions in cardiovascular pharmacology. His research, in elucidating molecular mechanisms of fatal cardiovascular disorders, exemplified the best of curiosity-based investigation. Amongst his many honours, he was particularly proud of receiving the prestigious Max Foreman Senior Research Award, the Faculty of Medicine's highest research prize.

His example was not lost on his students, and the affection and respect was reciprocated. Greg took particular pride in their accomplishments and especially encouraged their scientific curiosity. For many years, he served as the graduate program coordinator of the Department of Pharmacology, a role he greatly enjoyed, and one where his judicious and patient nature was particularly appreciated.

Greg also proved to be a superb mentor. He encouraged young faculty in many ways, from reading grants with a fierce diligence, to loaning equipment and expertise. As always, he was enthusiastic about the accomplishments of others.

For his entire career, Greg was a well-funded scientist, and even during the lean years of the 1990s held three grants from two national peer review agencies. He did not do this by sticking to what was safe; for the last 15 years he worked on novel ideas about the first events that occur between the electrical signal of a heart beat and the contraction to which it is coupled. He challenged the status quo, in a determined series of investigations that most others would not have dared to undertake and would have abandoned much earlier.

The University community was greatly enriched by his intellect and integrity. His legacy, to be found in scientists here and throughout the world, is one that brings credit to him and to this institution.