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Michael Farthing

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Michael Farthing
Born
Michael John Godfrey Farthing

1948 (age 75–76)
Known for
Medical career
ProfessionPhysician
Institutions
Sub-specialtiesGastroenterology

Michael John Godfrey Farthing (born 1948) is a British emeritus professor at the University of Sussex, where he was previously its vice-chancellor (2007–2016). His early academic career was in medicine, specialising in gastroenterology.

Following an appointment as research fellow, honorary lecturer in gastroenterology at St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, in 1980, he was appointed Wellcome Tropical Lecturer and worked in India, Boston and Costa Rica as visiting lecturer and assistant professor. In 1983, upon returning to the UK, he became senior lecturer and honorary consultant back at Barts' department of gastroenterology. In 1990 he was appointed professor of gastroenterology at St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College and held this post for five years. He later became Executive Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Professor of Medicine at the University of Glasgow. Following this, he was honorary consultant gastroenterologist for the St George's Healthcare NHS Trust from 2003 to 2007.

From 1996 to 2002 he served as editor of Gut. It was during his time as editor that he came across the problem of research fraud. The problem of scientific misconduct led him, with other journal editors, lawyers and professor of ethics, to cofound a UK Committee on Publication Ethics, Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

In 2007, Farthing was appointed the seventh vice chancellor at University of Sussex, where he led plans for re-development.

Early life and education

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Michael Farthing attended Henry Thornton school, a state grammar school in Clapham, London.[1] In 1969, before qualifying as a doctor he spent time volunteering at a mission hospital in a village in the Kadapa district in Andhra Pradesh, India.[2][3] He gained his medical degree from University College, London (UCL), and the University College Hospital Medical School in 1972.[4]

Early career

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Farthing completed his early medical training at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge.[4] In the 1970s he returned to India for a second time as a doctor on a film set.[2] Following an appointment as research fellow, honorary lecturer in gastroenterology at St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, in 1980, he was appointed Wellcome Tropical Lecturer and worked in India, Boston and Costa Rica as visiting lecturer and assistant professor.[4] Upon returning to the UK in 1983, he became senior lecturer and honorary consultant back at St Bartholomew's Hospital's department of gastroenterology.[4] In 1990 he was appointed professor of gastroenterology at St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College and held this post for five years.[5] From 1995 to 2000 he was Dean of the Faculty of Clinical Medicine at Bart's and the Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry.[5] During this time he oversaw the postdoctoral work of Rebecca Fitzgerald.[6] He was honorary professor and consultant physician at University College, where he was first elected in 1998.[7]

In 2000 he moved to Glasgow and became Executive Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Professor of Medicine at the University of Glasgow. Following this, he was honorary consultant gastroenterologist for the St George's Healthcare NHS Trust from 2003 to 2007.[8][9] He concurrently held the positions of Principal, St George's, University of London from 2003 to 2007, and Pro-Vice Chancellor for Medicine University of London from 2005 to 2007.[8]

He has also had numerous Government and national body roles. These include Co-ordinator (Gastroenterology) for the UK/Poland Health Agreement first from 1990 to 1992 and then from 1992 to 1994, and member for the Education Committee and Undergraduate Board of the General Medical Council, both from 2001 to 2008. As a member of the Education Committee of the General Medical Council, Farthing played a part in curriculum planning for the new Medical School established jointly by the Universities of Hull and York.[4][10]

He was non-executive Director of the Greater Glasgow NHS Board from 2001 to 2003 and non-executive director of the South West London Strategic Health Authority from 2003 to 2007.[citation needed] Other positions include non-executive director of the Brighton and Sussex University Trust and chair of the Quality and Risk Committee for the Trust since 2013.[citation needed] Farthing became vice-chair for the UK Panel for Research Integrity in Health and Biomedical Sciences; has been Honorary Consultant in Gastroenterology to the British Army since 1991; and is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences.

From 1996 to 2002 he served as editor of Gut.[11]

Committee on Publication Ethics

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In 1997 he was appointed editor of Gut, International Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.[12] It was during his time as editor that he came across the problem of research fraud.[13] The problem of scientific misconduct led him, with other journal editors (including Richard Horton and Richard Smith), lawyers and professor of ethics Ian Kennedy, to establish a UK Committee on Publication Ethics, Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).[12][14][15] In 2013 in Shanghai, he presented a paper on research misconduct: A grand global challenge for the 21st century.[16] It was later published in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (2014).[16]

University of Sussex

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In 2007, Farthing was appointed the seventh vice chancellor at University of Sussex,[5] where he led plans for re-development.[17] It set out plans to grow its research income, double international student numbers and increase engagement with the business community.[18]

He led the creation of partnerships with institutions in China.[19] He oversaw the creation of 13 schools of studies (beginning in August 2009), including the Brighton and Sussex Medical School, which altered the scope for interdisciplinary communication and collaboration for which Sussex has been known.[20] A regular column in the university's Bulletin used to set out his vision for the development of the university.[21]

When in office, Farthing disbanded the linguistics department — a move condemned by Noam Chomsky, a linguist.[22] In 2012 during his tenure, the university's Centre for Community Engagement (CCE) closed.[23] In the same year he cautioned that to re-introduce Masters courses once withdrawn takes years and could affect professions that require particular skills such as toxicology and geological sciences.[24] In late November 2012, several dozen students barricaded themselves in the conference centre at Sussex University in protest against plans to outsource campus services.[25] In December Farthing took action to suspend five students associated with occupations of administration buildings and restrict them from returning to campus.[26] In early 2013 the level of student protest at Sussex over privatisation resulted in Farthing publicly considering the defunding or underfunding of the Student Union.[27] An early day motion calling on Farthing to retract the suspensions was signed by 13 Members of Parliament.[28] Farthing announced his intention to resign the post of vice-chancellor in September 2015.[29]

Other work

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After working on and publicly speaking on Leonardo da Vinci’s anatomical drawings, Farthing wrote Leonardo da Vinci: Under the Skin, with his brother, published in 2019.[30] In the same year he was elected Master of the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries.[31]

Awards and honours

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In 1987 he was awarded the Research Medal by the British Society of Gastroenterology.[4]

He was secretary of the British Society of Gastroenterology from 1990 to 1994, chair of the Scientific Committee UEGF 2004–2009, and president of the British Society of Gastroenterology from 2007 to 2008.[32] between 2014 and 2015[citation needed] he was president of the United European Gastroenterology.[33]

Other awards include the International Cannes Water and Medicine Prize (2000); the Gideon de Laune Medal from the Society of Apothecaries and the Henry L Bockus Gold Medal from the World Gastroenterology Organisation.[citation needed]

His son is the actor Jack Farthing.[34]

Selected publications

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Books

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  • Farthing, M. J. G; Keusch, Gerald; Wakelin, Derek (1995). Enteric infection. Chapman & Hall Medical. ISBN 978-0-412-39140-8. OCLC 32893757.
  • Farthing, M. J. G (2019). Finding India: a fifty year magical, medical odyssey. London: Unicorn. ISBN 978-1-912690-47-3. OCLC 1089479863.
  • Farthing, M. J. G; Ballinger, Anne (2019). Drug Therapy for Gastrointestinal Disease. CRC Press LLC. ISBN 978-0-429-55598-5. OCLC 1104087881.
  • Wells, Frank; Farthing, Michael (2019). Fraud and Misconduct in Biomedical Research, 4th edition. Boca Raton: CRC Press. ISBN 978-1-85315-786-8.
  • Farthing, Stephen; Farthing, Michael J. G. (2019). Leonardo Da Vinci: Under the Skin. Royal Academy of Arts. ISBN 978-1-912520-09-1.

Articles

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References

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  1. ^ "Films | Old Thorntonians". Old Thorntonians Association (Clapham). Archived from the original on 17 January 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b Coughlan, Philipa (24 November 2019). "Finding India by Michael Farthing". NB. Archived from the original on 1 November 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  3. ^ "'Interning in India changed my life' - Times of India". The Times of India. 4 June 2012. Archived from the original on 1 November 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Prof Michael Farthing". University of Sussex. Archived from the original on 3 May 2009. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
  5. ^ a b c "University of Glasgow :: Story :: Biography of Michael Farthing". universitystory.gla.ac.uk. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  6. ^ Cancer Unit, MRC. "Biography". www.mrc-cu.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  7. ^ "Professor Michael Farthing | The Academy of Medical Sciences". acmedsci.ac.uk. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Biography of Professor Farthing". University of Sussex. Archived from the original on 3 August 2007. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
  9. ^ "Sussex appoints new VC". The Guardian. 1 May 2007. Retrieved 3 July 2008.
  10. ^ Reynolds, L. E; Tansey, E. M. (2008). Clinical Pharmacology in the UK, c. 1950–2000: influences and institutions (PDF). Vol. 33. London: Wellcome Trust Centre for the History of Medicine at UCL. p. 71. ISBN 978-085484-117-2.
  11. ^ "Congratulations to Michael Farthing on his Lifetime Achievement Award 2021". The British Society of Gastroenterology. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  12. ^ a b Thirwell, Jeanette (2013). "34. A history of anaesthesia journals". In Eger II, Edmond I; Saidman, Lawrence J.; Westhorpe, Rod N. (eds.). The Wondrous Story of Anesthesia. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 457. ISBN 978-1-4614-8440-0.
  13. ^ Humphrys, John (2012). The Great Food Gamble. Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 978-1-4447-6395-9.
  14. ^ Calne, Roy Yorke (2021). Corrupt Cultures: Cheating In Science And Society. World Scientific. p. 9. ISBN 978-1-78634-561-5.
  15. ^ Jacob, Marie-Andrée (2015). Cloatre, Emilie; Pickersgill, Martyn (eds.). Knowledge, Technology and Law. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. p. 140. ISBN 978-0-415-62862-4.
  16. ^ a b Farthing, Michael J. G. (2015). Steneck, Nicholas H.; Mayer, Tony; Anderson, Melissa S.; Kleinert, Sabine (eds.). Integrity In The Global Research Arena. Singapore: World Scientific. p. xix - xxvi. ISBN 978-981-4632-38-6.
  17. ^ Nixon, Jon (2011). "1. The Public in Retreat". Higher Education and the Public Good: Imagining the University. Continuum International publishing Group. p. 8. ISBN 978-0-8264-3743-3.
  18. ^ "Bulletin - 11 July 2008". Sussex.ac.uk. 11 July 2008. Archived from the original on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  19. ^ "Bulletin - 6 November 2009". Sussex.ac.uk. 6 November 2009. Archived from the original on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  20. ^ "Bulletin - 31 July 2009". Sussex.ac.uk. 31 July 2009. Archived from the original on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  21. ^ "Opinion and comment : Resources : Vice Chancellor's Office : University of Sussex". Sussex.ac.uk. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  22. ^ "University of Sussex - Chomsky joins fight for linguistics". Times Higher Education. 2 April 2009. Retrieved 16 December 2009.
  23. ^ Grove, Jack (25 January 2012). "Sussex to close community engagement programmes | General". Times Higher Education. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  24. ^ Higher education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects: 2nd report of session 2012-13, report. The Stationery Office. 2012. p. 76. ISBN 978-0-10-847611-2.
  25. ^ Grasso, Maria T.; Bessant, Judith (2018). Governing Youth Politics in the Age of Surveillance. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. p. 43. ISBN 978-1-138-63012-3.
  26. ^ Abby Young-Powell (5 December 2013). "Five students at Sussex Uni banned from campus for 'peaceful protest' | Education". theguardian.com. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  27. ^ "Funding warning to protesting University of Sussex (From The Argus)". Theargus.co.uk. 19 February 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  28. ^ "Early day motion 852 - SUSSEX UNIVERSITY STUDENTS - UK Parliament". Parliament.uk. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  29. ^ "Sussex vice-chancellor Michael Farthing to step down". 22 September 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  30. ^ "Interview with Professor Michael Farthing". Cavendish Medical. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  31. ^ "A Welcome from our Master, Professor Michael Farthing!". The Worshipful Society of Apothecaries. 3 September 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  32. ^ "BSG Council 2007-2008". British Society of Gastroenterology. Archived from the original on 30 March 2009. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
  33. ^ Ramirez, Rafael; Wilkinson, Angela (2016). Strategic Reframing: The Oxford Scenario Planning Approach. Oxford University Press. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-19-874569-3.
  34. ^ https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/poldark-jack-farthing-george-warleggan-interview/ [bare URL]
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