W. Leigh Thompson

Wilmer Leigh Thompson Ph.D, MD, ScD, FACP, FCCM Age 66, of Charleston, South Carolina, died Friday, February 11, 2005. Leigh was a native of Charleston, S.C. He was born June 25, 1937, to Wilmer L. Thompson EE JD and Mrs. Mary Bissell McIver Thompson. Leigh attended the College of Charleston (B.S. Biology 1958, Honor Alumnus 2004), the Medical University of South Carolina (M.S. 1960, Ph.D. Pharmacology 1963, ScD honorary 1995, and Distinguished Alumnus 1999), and the John Hopkins University (M.D. 1965 [Alpha Omega and Phi Beta Kappa], Osler Medical Residency, and the Society of Scholars 2003 and Medical Distinguished Alumnus 2003). In December 2003, FDA Commissioner McClelland awarded him the rare Special Citation citing "His pioneering initiatives in critical care, pharmaceutical development innovations, information technology management and collaborations with regulators have been remarkable and left a sustaining positive impact on the industry, patients and many professionals whom he has mentored." At MUSC, he invented hetastarch, the most widely used substitute for blood plasma. He served at the NIH, the John Hopkins Hospital, and Case Western Reserve University Hospitals, at each of which he built and directed their first Intensive Care Unit. He was President and Honorary Life Member of the Society of Critical Medicine and co-editor of the first two textbooks in this field. In 1982, he was Professor of Medicine and edited 10 medical textbooks and authored 300 scientific papers. He joined Eli Lilly and Company from which he retired in 1994 as Chief Scientific Officer. Recently, he lectured and consulted worldwide on drug development and research Management. He was Chairman of the Board of Inspire Pharmaceuticals and a member of the boards of Bioanalytical Systems, DepoMed, Diabetogen, Guilford Pharmaceuticals, LaJolla Pharmaceuticals, Medarex, and Sontra. Leigh met Maurice Horne at the College of Charleston in 1954 and they married at Grace Episcopal Church on March 29, 1957. They have one daughter, Mary Linton Bounetheau Thompson Peters, MEES, who resides in Cambridge, MA. Maurice and Leigh have published murder mysteries such as Murder at Spoleto and CN (cyanide). He was a member of the Society of Colonial Wars, the St. Andrews Society, the Carolina Yacht Club, and numerous academic societies. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. in Grace Episcopal Church on Thursday, February 17, 2005. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Osler Foundation, The John Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, 21287. McAlister - Smith Down Town Chapel, 150 Wentworth St., Charleston, SC 29401 is serving the Thompson family.