Peter Nicholls obituary

My friend and mentor Peter Nicholls, who has died aged 79, spent 50 years researching the biochemistry of haem proteins, which react with oxygen in our bodies to create useful energy for cells. His encyclopedic knowledge of the field not only gave his research a unique historical perspective, but also prevented many from repeating the errors of the past.

Peter’s life was never just about the biochemistry though. As a scientist growing up in the nuclear age, he felt a special responsibility to advocate peace and disarmament; yet he always strove to ensure that the scientific evidence used in his political advocacy was of the same high quality as in his biochemical research.