Brian Wallace Payton (1930-2014), physician and professor of Physiology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, was born in East Ham, East London, England, on 13 February 1930, the younger of two sons of Frank Payton, a manager in a London match company, and Jenny Payton (nee Shambrook), a shorthand typist. When Dr. Payton was a year old his family moved to Illford, Essex (a part of greater London). Dr. Payton was nine years old when WWII broke out. His grammar school was evacuated from London, and he was sent to live with a family in South Wales. The father of his host family was a signal-man with the Great Western Railway and a keen first-aider. While there, Dr. Payton developed an interest in first-aid and joined the St. John Ambulance Cadets. 

After his return to Illford, Dr. Payton attended the Illford County High School, a classical grammar school for students 17 to 18 years of age. Then, at the age of 18, Dr. Payton was called into the British Army, becoming a Laboratory Technician in the Royal Army Medical Corps. On 16 February 1956, Dr. Payton married Krista Heidecker, a nurse from Magdeberg, East Germany, whom he met at a British military hospital while he served in the British Army in Germany, and they had two sons, Nicholas and Timothy.

Dr. Payton decided to enter medical school and so worked toward this goal while serving in the British Army. He served as a Pathology Laboratory Technician, Royal Army Medical Corps., NCO i/c Pathology Laboratory, British Military Hospital, Wuppertal, Germany (1949-1950). After his military service, Dr. Payton accepted a position as Pathology Laboratory Technician, Queen Mary Hospital, Stratford, East London, England (1950-1951).

Dr. Payton was accepted into Charing Cross Medical School at the University of London in 1951. He graduated with an M.B., B.S., the final medical qualifying examination in the UK (equivalent to the North American M.D.), in 1957. After graduation, Dr. Payton performed Housejobs (Internships) in Surgery and Medicine at Harrow Hospital and Hackney Hospital, London (1957-1958). After that, he was a Junior Lecturer in Pharmacology at Medical College of St. Bartholomew Hospital, London, England (1959-1965). 

Dr. Payton graduated with a PhD. in Pharmacology from the University of London in 1965. Dr. Payton then moved to the USA where he accepted a position as Visiting Assistant Professor in Physiology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York (1965-1967). His next appointment was at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, New York (1967-1969), and while there he received a National Institutes of Health Research Fellowship in Behavioral Science in the Department of Anatomy. Dr. Payton also spent three summers working at Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratories while attending Neurological programmes at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories (1967-1969).

Dr. Payton moved to St. John’s, Newfoundland in 1969, having accepted a position as Associate Professor of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, which he held from 1969 to 1977. He was then appointed Professor of Physiology (1977-1995). In 1973, Dr. Payton became Director of Medical Audiovisual Service (M.A.V.S.), Faculty of Medicine, a position he held until 1994. In addition, each summer, for the years 1979-1989, Dr. Payton taught in the Leech Neurobiology Programme at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. Upon retirement in 1995, Dr. Payton received a retired full-time appointment and a part-time appointment as Professor of Surgery at Memorial University.

Dr. Payton has served on many committees at Memorial University including: Chair, Student Affairs Committee (1969-1971); Member, Marine Sciences Research Laboratories Advisory Committee (1969-1973);  Member, Faculty Constitution Committee (1970-1972); Member, second year Neurosciences Committee (1970-1986) and Chair (1982-1986); Member, Educational Television Advisory Committee (1973-1985); Member, Faculty of Medicine Telemedicine Committee (1980-1990); Chair, Physiology Resource Group (1980-1981); Acting Chair, History of Medicine (1987-1988); and Laboratory Coordinator, first year Introductory Physiology Course (1987-1994).

Dr. Payton was a member of several societies in the UK, the USA, Canada, and Newfoundland, including: the Biological Section of the Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineers (UK); the Examination Board of the British Optical Association (UK); Health Sciences Communications Association (USA); Charter Member of the Association of Bio-Communications Directors (USA); Newfoundland Medical Association; Biophysical Society; the Special Resources Group on Instructional Media; Association of Canadian Medical Colleges; Institute of Medicine and Biological Illustration; and the Canadian Physiological Society. Dr. Payton is currently a member of the British Pharmacological Society, the Canadian Association for the History of Medicine, the St. John’s History of Medicine Society, and the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada of which he is past president.

Over a period of more than four decades, Dr. Payton has published several textbooks and monographs and contributed numerous articles to scientific journals, proceedings and newsletters. His research interests have been in the field of synaptic and membrane physiology and pharmacology. In addition, Dr. Payton has scripted, prepared and produced several media productions, as well as assisted with many others.

Dr. Payton currently resides in St. John’s, and remains active with the Faculty of Medicine. He enjoys photography, satirical cartooning, essay writing, and book binding. Dr. Payton also puts his hands to work building ships, dollhouses, miniatures and other unique projects.

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