Alan Clive Roberts

British biologist (1934–2021)

Alan Roberts

Born| (1934-04-28)28 April 1934

Exeter, England

Died| 1 December 2021(2021-12-01) (aged 87)
Alma mater|

* Manchester Metropolitan University
* Bradford University

Spouse| Margaret Mary Shaw
Children| Martin John Roberts, Adrian Christopher Roberts
Awards| OBE, Territorial Decoration, Prince Philip Medal
Scientific career
Fields| Materials science, biology, bio-engineering, reconstructive surgery
Institutions|

Manchester Metropolitan University

Bradford University

In Omina Fidellis (Faithful in all Things). Coat of arms of Alan Clive Roberts

Alan Clive Roberts OBE KStJ TD (28 April 1934 – 1 December 2021) was a British materials scientist, consultant and engineer who specialised in biomaterials, clinical prosthetics and implants in reconstructive surgery.[1][2] He specialised in the research, development and the use of tissue adhesives in wound management. He is known by some as the "father of tissue adhesive".[3][4]

He was awarded the Prince Philip Medal for research in the field of implantation materials in 1970, the MBE in 1982, and the OBE for contributions to science and technology in 2002.[5]

He was director of the Centre for Clinical Prosthetics at the Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Professor of Biomaterials in Surgery at the Academic Surgical Unit of the University of Hull. He was also a consultant clinical scientist at Nuffield Hospital in Leeds, and the head of the Clinical Prosthetics Department at St Luke's Hospital, Bradford.[6] Roberts was former joint director of the Institute of Health Research and was chairman of the National Research Ethics Service from 2006 to 2011. He was Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Court and Council at the University of Leeds from 1983 to 2000.[5][7]

Roberts was a fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine and was its vice-president from 2007 to 2009 and the founder of the Technology in Medicine section of the Society. He was also an honorary treasurer of the society.[8] He was awarded the Honorary Fellowship at the Royal Society of Medicine, its highest honour, in 2010.[9]

## Early life and education

[edit]

Born in Exeter in 1934, Roberts was a son of Major William Roberts MBE and Cathleen Roberts. He attended Askam House School and Gregg School in Newcastle upon Tyne and then at what is now Manchester Metropolitan University and at the University of Bradford.[10]

## Medical research

[edit]

Roberts was a scientific officer of the Newcastle Royal Infirmary and completed his research degree (MPhil) in medical materiel. Roberts developed "Silskin" from research in 1992 which was the first universal prosthetic skin with global use in clinical prosthetics.[11]

Roberts' research in 2006 produced a prosthetic adhesive to effectively overcome the difficulty of attaching materials, prostheses and devices to the body with particular reference to colostomy and facial prostheses. He has published numerous scientific papers and books on his subject.[3][12]

He was a fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, a chartered biologist, a fellow of the Linnean Society of London (FLS) and a fellow at the City and Guilds of London Institute.[13] He was a Companion of Honour at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. He was a member of the international advisory board at the University of Malaysia Medical School and a former examiner to the University of Sheffield, School of Clinical Dentistry. He was an examiner at the University of Malta medical school in 2004.[14]

Roberts was awarded honorary doctoral degrees from the University of Leeds in 2000,[15] the University of London in 2005, the University of Bradford in 2007,[16] and Brunel University in 2007.

## Other service

[edit]

Following national service in the British Army, Roberts joined the Territorial Army in the Royal Artillery. As a reservist, he commanded the Leeds University Officer Training Corps as a lieutenant-colonel before becoming a colonel and deputy commander to the General Officer Commanding North East Military District. He was an honorary colonel commandant of the Royal Artillery, as well as honorary colonel of 269(WR) Battery 101 (N) Regiment Royal Artillery and former honorary colonel of a number of reserve units. He was a former chairman of the Council of United Kingdom Military Education Committees. He was also an honorary aide-de-camp to Elizabeth II from 1980-1984. He was a Deputy Lord Lieutenant for the County of West Yorkshire and County President South & West Yorkshire Royal British Legion.[2][17]

Roberts was a trustee of Yorkshire Sculpture Park,[18] Action for Rehabilitation from Neurological Injury (ARNI),[19] SSAFA, Carmichael Walker Committee, West Riding Artillery Trust,[20] Maritime Heritage Foundation (2010). He was a county president of SSAFA West Yorkshire and was president of the Royal British Legion Leeds Group.[21] He was president of Leeds District NSPCC, was county president at British Red Cross for West Yorkshire 1986-02.[22] Chairman of the Army Benevolent Fund of West Yorkshire from 1972 to 1975 and was Gentleman Usher of Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor.

In 2002, Roberts was awarded the Badge of the Order of Mercy by the League of Mercy Foundation.[23] This is a self-styled order created in 1999 to imitate the League of Mercy that was dissolved in 1947; it is not an official award.

He died on 1 December 2021, at the age of 87.[24]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Roberts, Alan Clive (2011). The Development of Facial Prosthetics and Adhesives in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery: A Study in the Application of Prosthetic Materials and Devices Used in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Together with Tissue Adhesives as an Alternative to Conventional Ligation. University of Bradford.
2. ^ a b "Armorial - Members - Col. Alan Clive ROBERTS OBE TD DL". White Lion Society. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
3. ^ a b Roberts, A. C. (1998). "The tissue adhesive indermil and its use in surgery". Acta Chirurgiae Plasticae. 40 (1): 22–25. ISSN 0001-5423. PMID 9640805.
4. ^ Arlidge, John (3 January 1999). "Yakuza given a helping hand by 'Mr Fingers'". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
\- "Order of St John". The Gazette. 8 January 2002. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
5. ^ a b "About the President". The British Institute of Dental & Surgical Technologists. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
6. ^ "Honorary degrees to be conferred upon distinguished six". Reporter. No. 448\. Leeds University. 6 March 2000. Archived from the original on 13 May 2009. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
7. ^ "OBEs N - Y". BBC News. 15 June 2001. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
8. ^ "The Royal Society of Medicine Wall of Honour". Royal Society of Medicine. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
9. ^ "Honorary Fellowships Ceremony 2010". Royal Society of Medicine. Archived from the original on 28 May 2018. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
10. ^ The Royal Society of Medicine, Professor Alan C Roberts OBE, Published 03 December 2021
11. ^ Jude, S. "Professor Alan C Roberts". 132acr.com. Archived from the original on 21 April 2009. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
12. ^ Clive., Roberts, Alan (1971). Facial prostheses: the restoration of facial defects by prosthetic means. London: Kimpton. ISBN 9780853137634. OCLC 334071.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
\- Hamilton, David (2012). A History of Organ Transplantation: Ancient Legends to Modern Practice. University of Pittsburgh Pre. ISBN 9780822977841.
\- "Facial Prostheses. By Alan Clive Roberts, T. D., C.G.I.A., F.R.S.H., F.B.I.S.T., A.I.S.T., A.I. Mechl.E., St. Luke's Hospital Bradford. 9½ × 7 in. Pp. 128 +x, with 138 illustration. 1971. Henry Kimpton. £3.50". British Journal of Surgery. 59 (7): 582. 1 July 1972. doi:10.1002/bjs.1800590729. ISSN 1365-2168.
\- Roberts, Alan C.; Coleman, David J.; Sharpe, David T. (1 November 1988). "Custom-made nipple-areola prostheses in breast reconstruction". British Journal of Plastic Surgery. 41 (6): 586–587. doi:10.1016/0007-1226(88)90165-8. ISSN 0007-1226. PMID 3207959.
13. ^ "Seven ready for degrees success". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
\- "City and Guilds - a licence to learn". Reporter. No. 420\. Leeds University. 11 May 1998. Archived from the original on 3 October 2006. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
14. ^ "Health: Businesslike culture helps cluster grow". The Financial Times. 11 March 2008. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
15. ^ "Honorary Degree Ceremony, 2000 Album 3 and Fine Arts Students Leeds 1999". University of Leeds Library. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
16. ^ "University honours leading lights of the business world". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
17. ^ Junior chronicle of the 20th century (1st American ed.). New York: DK Publishing, Inc. 1997. p. 307\. ISBN 9780789420336. OCLC 36713017.
\- "Bradford Celebrates Armed Forces Day". Bradford Council. Archived from the original on 28 May 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
\- Hume, Lucy (5 October 2017). People of Today 2017. Debrett's. ISBN 9781999767037.
18. ^ "YORKSHIRE SCULPTURE PARK - Officers". Companies House. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
19. ^ "Professor Alan Roberts". ARNI. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
20. ^ "Charity Details". Charity Commission. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
21. ^ "Branch information - Leeds Group". The Royal British Legion. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
\- "Honours List 2". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
22. ^ "A comic, a copper, a bus driver and a boss". the Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
23. ^ "No. 56522". The London Gazette. 28 March 2002. p. 3901.
24. ^ "Roberts, Colonel Alan Clive OBE". The Telegraph. 7 December 2021. Archived from the original on 7 December 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2021.