John Griffith Vaughan
Encyclopedia
John Griffith Vaughan was a Welsh food scientist. He was an expert in seed science, whose work linked the fields of botany
and nutrition
.
During nearly 40 years at the University of London
, Vaughan pioneered new techniques for the study of seed proteins, became the leading expert on the structure and composition of oilseeds such as oilseed rape, and was widely consulted by industry. His expertise in identifying plant parts in animal and human foods was much sought after by flour millers and other food processors.
, Vaughan came to love plants as a boy, while walking in the Brecon Beacons
. After grammar school, he entered the Victoria University of Manchester
at the age of 17, to take a degree in botany. His first post was at a schoolteacher at Hele's School, Plympton, during which he published his first paper, and resolved on a career in research. After completing a Ph.D. thesis and lecturing, both at the then Chelsea Polytechnic, in 1958 Vaughan moved to Queen Elizabeth College
, a college of the University of London situated in a leafy corner of Kensington
. Initially in the College’s Department of Biology, he later moved to the Food Science department. The College merged with King's College London
, in 1985, and in 1986 Vaughan was appointed as Professor of Food Microscopy.
for identifying ancient seed remains at the Institute of Archaeology. He was an excellent teacher, meticulous and lucid, and kindly, and much in demand as an examiner of doctoral theses.
Much of Vaughan’s research was concerned with the Brassica
genus, which includes many important crops, such as oilseed rape, cabbage
, and mustard
. Although very different in appearance, these crops are closely related and notoriously difficult to classify. In the 1960s Vaughan’s research team used the newly-developed technique of electrophoresis
to study the proteins of Brassica seeds, using similarities in their properties to clarify their taxonomic relationships. This pioneering interest in chemotaxonomy
– the use of plant chemicals to study the classification of plants – led Vaughan to edit several books, including Seed Proteins and The Biology and Chemistry of the Cruciferae. These studies of seed composition were combined with work on seed structure, particularly of oilseeds. This led to the publication in 1970 of The Structure and Utilization of Oil Seeds, still the standard work on the subject.
, not far from his home in Petersham. As well as providing a congenial home from home, Kew provided many of the plants painted specially for the New Oxford Book of Food Plants, and was the source of the historic illustrations used for the Oxford Book of Health Foods. These books achieved a rare synthesis of up-to-date and accessible scientific content, combined with beautiful illustrations of plants. As awareness increases of the role of plant foods in health, these books are timely works which have established themselves as standard texts.
He died in Petersham, Surrey, on 17 May 2005.
J.G. Vaughan, A.J. MacLeod and B.M.G. Jones (eds). 1976. The biology and chemistry of the Cruciferae. London: Academic Press.
J. G. Vaughan (ed.). 1979. Food microscopy. London: Academic Press.
F.A. Bisby, J.G. Vaughan, C.A. Wright (eds). 1980. Chemosystematics: principles and practice. London: Published for the Systematics Association by Academic Press.
J. Daussant, J. Mossé, J. Vaughan (eds). 1983. Seed proteins. London: Academic Press.
J.G. Vaughan and C. Geissler. 1997. The New Oxford book of food plants : a guide to the fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices of the world. London: Oxford University Press.
J.G. Vaughan and P.A. Judd. 2003. The Oxford book of health foods. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
and nutrition
Nutrition
Nutrition is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary to support life. Many common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with a healthy diet....
.
During nearly 40 years at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
, Vaughan pioneered new techniques for the study of seed proteins, became the leading expert on the structure and composition of oilseeds such as oilseed rape, and was widely consulted by industry. His expertise in identifying plant parts in animal and human foods was much sought after by flour millers and other food processors.
Career
Born into modest circumstances in the industrial town of Merthyr TydfilMerthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...
, Vaughan came to love plants as a boy, while walking in the Brecon Beacons
Brecon Beacons
The Brecon Beacons is a mountain range in South Wales. In a narrow sense, the name refers to the range of popular peaks south of Brecon, including South Wales' highest mountain, Pen y Fan, and which together form the central section of the Brecon Beacons National Park...
. After grammar school, he entered the Victoria University of Manchester
Victoria University of Manchester
The Victoria University of Manchester was a university in Manchester, England. On 1 October 2004 it merged with the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology to form a new entity, "The University of Manchester".-1851 - 1951:The University was founded in 1851 as Owens College,...
at the age of 17, to take a degree in botany. His first post was at a schoolteacher at Hele's School, Plympton, during which he published his first paper, and resolved on a career in research. After completing a Ph.D. thesis and lecturing, both at the then Chelsea Polytechnic, in 1958 Vaughan moved to Queen Elizabeth College
Queen Elizabeth College
Queen Elizabeth College had its origins in the Ladies' Department of King's College London, England, opened in 1885. The first King's 'extension' lectures for ladies were held at Richmond in 1871, and from 1878 in Kensington, with chaperones in attendance.In 1881, the Council resolved 'to...
, a college of the University of London situated in a leafy corner of Kensington
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
. Initially in the College’s Department of Biology, he later moved to the Food Science department. The College merged with King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
, in 1985, and in 1986 Vaughan was appointed as Professor of Food Microscopy.
Teaching and research
During the 1970s and 1980s, when botany was increasingly displaced by more fashionable subjects, Vaughan did much to sustain research and teaching of plant science in London University, including the use of plant anatomyPlant anatomy
Plant anatomy or phytotomy is the general term for the study of the internal structure of plants. While originally it included plant morphology, which is the description of the physical form and external structure of plants, since the mid-20th century the investigations of plant anatomy are...
for identifying ancient seed remains at the Institute of Archaeology. He was an excellent teacher, meticulous and lucid, and kindly, and much in demand as an examiner of doctoral theses.
Much of Vaughan’s research was concerned with the Brassica
Brassica
Brassica is a genus of plants in the mustard family . The members of the genus may be collectively known either as cabbages, or as mustards...
genus, which includes many important crops, such as oilseed rape, cabbage
Cabbage
Cabbage is a popular cultivar of the species Brassica oleracea Linne of the Family Brassicaceae and is a leafy green vegetable...
, and mustard
Mustard plant
Mustards are several plant species in the genera Brassica and Sinapis whose small mustard seeds are used as a spice and, by grinding and mixing them with water, vinegar or other liquids, are turned into the condiment known as mustard or prepared mustard...
. Although very different in appearance, these crops are closely related and notoriously difficult to classify. In the 1960s Vaughan’s research team used the newly-developed technique of electrophoresis
Electrophoresis
Electrophoresis, also called cataphoresis, is the motion of dispersed particles relative to a fluid under the influence of a spatially uniform electric field. This electrokinetic phenomenon was observed for the first time in 1807 by Reuss , who noticed that the application of a constant electric...
to study the proteins of Brassica seeds, using similarities in their properties to clarify their taxonomic relationships. This pioneering interest in chemotaxonomy
Chemotaxonomy
Chemotaxonomy , also called chemosystematics, is the attempt to classify and identify organisms , according to demonstrable differences and similarities in their biochemical compositions. The compounds studied in most of the cases are mostly proteins, amino acids and peptides...
– the use of plant chemicals to study the classification of plants – led Vaughan to edit several books, including Seed Proteins and The Biology and Chemistry of the Cruciferae. These studies of seed composition were combined with work on seed structure, particularly of oilseeds. This led to the publication in 1970 of The Structure and Utilization of Oil Seeds, still the standard work on the subject.
Retirement
After his retirement in 1991, Vaughan’s penchant for teaching and for multi-disciplinary work found a natural outlet in two books written for both popular and scientific audiences, the New Oxford Book of Food Plants (1997, with Catherine Geissler), and the Oxford Book of Health Foods (2003, with Pat Judd). The research for these was carried out in the library of the Royal Botanic Gardens, KewRoyal Botanic Gardens, Kew
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, usually referred to as Kew Gardens, is 121 hectares of gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond and Kew in southwest London, England. "The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew" and the brand name "Kew" are also used as umbrella terms for the institution that runs...
, not far from his home in Petersham. As well as providing a congenial home from home, Kew provided many of the plants painted specially for the New Oxford Book of Food Plants, and was the source of the historic illustrations used for the Oxford Book of Health Foods. These books achieved a rare synthesis of up-to-date and accessible scientific content, combined with beautiful illustrations of plants. As awareness increases of the role of plant foods in health, these books are timely works which have established themselves as standard texts.
He died in Petersham, Surrey, on 17 May 2005.
Personality
John Vaughan was an unassuming and approachable man, who enjoyed talking and had an extensive circle of friends. He was a keen collector of botanical postage stamps, enjoyed lunching at the Athenaeum, and had been a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London since 1954. He was quietly but strongly loyal to the University of London, to his native Wales, and to his family.Key publications
J. G. Vaughan. 1970. The structure and utilization of oil seeds. London: Chapman & Hall.J.G. Vaughan, A.J. MacLeod and B.M.G. Jones (eds). 1976. The biology and chemistry of the Cruciferae. London: Academic Press.
J. G. Vaughan (ed.). 1979. Food microscopy. London: Academic Press.
F.A. Bisby, J.G. Vaughan, C.A. Wright (eds). 1980. Chemosystematics: principles and practice. London: Published for the Systematics Association by Academic Press.
J. Daussant, J. Mossé, J. Vaughan (eds). 1983. Seed proteins. London: Academic Press.
J.G. Vaughan and C. Geissler. 1997. The New Oxford book of food plants : a guide to the fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices of the world. London: Oxford University Press.
J.G. Vaughan and P.A. Judd. 2003. The Oxford book of health foods. Oxford: Oxford University Press.