John R. Vane's research on prostaglandins, hormone-like substances produced by the body, proved fundamental in the research and treatment of such illnesses as heart disease, strokes, ulcers and asthma. Through his studies, first at the Royal College of Surgeons, and then at the Wellcome pharmaceutical company, Vane discovered how these previously little-known secretions function. For these contributions to medicine and to physiology, Vane shared the 1982 Nobel Prize in medicine or physiology.

Vane was born March 29, 1927, in Tardebigge, Worcester, the son of Maurice Vane and the former Frances Fisher. Vane's father, the son of Russian immigrants, owned a small manufacturing company; his mother came from a family of farmers. Their Christmas gift of a chemistry set sparked Vane's interest in science when he was twelve, and his home became the site of numerous experiments. However, upon entering the University of Birmingham in 1944, he found that the work given him...