The Society is saddened to hear of the death of Dr Derek Bergel. He was a revered cardiovascular physiologist and wrote two classic books on cardiac mechanics, including ‘Cardiovascular Fluid Dynamics’ published in 1972.

Bergel qualified in medicine from St Bartholomew’s Medical Centre, London, UK. This is where he carried out his pivotal research on the viscous and elastic behaviour of the walls of arteries and was appointed Lecturer in Physiology from 1957 to 1962.

In 1968, Bergel moved to University of Oxford, UK, where he held the Ann Rork and Rudolph Light Research Fellowship at St Catherine’s College and was appointed Lecturer in Physiology by Professor David Whitteridge, a British physician and physiologist. Bergel was also Tutor in Medicine at St Catherine’s College until 1977.

From 1983, Bergel was Fellow of Merton College at University of Oxford, UK, and became Tutor in Medicine from 1984 until his retirement in 1991.