SEPTEMBER 3, 2020, NEW YORK - Ludwig Cancer Research extends its condolences to the family and many friends, former students and colleagues of Martin Tattersall, who died on August 30, 2020, in Sydney, Australia.
A British oncologist recruited to the University of Sydney in 1977, Tattersall joined the Sydney Branch of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research the same year. He was named director in 1979 and led the Branch until it closed in 1987. During his tenure at the Sydney Branch and through his subsequent career, Tattersall contributed enormously to the field of oncology, both in the laboratory, where he explored the cytogenetics and molecular pathology of a wide variety of cancers, and in the clinic, where he led several trials of novel therapeutic strategies against an equally broad spectrum of malignancies.
Tattersall went on to focus increasingly on medical communications, contributing notably to the field. His studies explored the language, dynamics, optimization and outcomes of communications between cancer patients and doctors, clinical researchers and medical institutions.
Tattersall taught and mentored a good number of scientists and physicians in Australia, where he was a beloved professor, and traveled widely to teach medical oncology to physicians in developing countries. He was for two decades a member of the World Health Organization's Cancer Committee and was widely recognized in Australia and far beyond for his contributions to cancer care.
Tattersall's life and career were testament to the power of medical science and the humanity inherent in its achievements.
