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Douglas Lea

1910 – 1947

British experimental physicist

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About Douglas Lea

Lived 1910 – 1947 (aged 37). Douglas Lea was a physicist, biophysicist and scientist.

Douglas Edward Lea (February 2, 1910 – June 16, 1947) was an experimental physicist working primarily in the field of radiobiology. He started working at the Cavendish Laboratory at University of Cambridge from 1931 to 1935, and in time moved from nuclear physics to focus on biology. After obtaining his PhD from Cambridge, he worked at Strangeways Laboratory from 1935 to 1946, then at the Royal College of Surgeons between 1942 and 1946.

Lea published his influential book, The Actions of Radiation of Living Cells, in 1946, the year before he died in an accident.

For a period in 1943 he was appointed part-time Honorary Advisory Physicist to Addenbrooke's Hospital and was thus the first hospital physicist at Addenbrooke's. In 1946, not long before his death, was appointed Reader in Radiobiology in the University Department of Radiotherapeutics

A memorial lecture in his name has been given biennially since 1948. He was a close friend of fellow radiobiology pioneer, Louis Harold Gray.

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Important facts

Birth century
Education
Royal College of Surgeons, Strangeways Laboratory
Also known as
Douglas Edward Lea

People in Douglas Lea's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Douglas Lea's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Douglas Lea?

British experimental physicist (1910–1947)

When was Douglas Lea born?

Douglas Lea was born on 8 February 1910 in Liverpool.

When did Douglas Lea die?

Douglas Lea died on 16 June 1947.

What was Douglas Lea's occupation?

Douglas Lea was a physicist, biophysicist and scientist.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Douglas Lea

· Wikidata: Q61594973

· DBpedia: Douglas Lea

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Douglas Lea. https://biography.guide/douglas-lea/

MLA: "Douglas Lea." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/douglas-lea/.

Chicago: "Douglas Lea." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/douglas-lea/.

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