Prof. James Feeney 1936 – 5 October 2025
The Magnetic Resonance community mourns the passing of ISMAR Fellow Prof. James Feeney on October 5, 2025, at the age of 89.
Jim worked for many years as a preeminent scientist at the Medical Research Council in London. His career at the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) was defined by his mastery of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and its application to structural biology already in very early times. He held several key leadership positions during his tenure, including the role of Centre Controller at the MRC Biomedical NMR Centre and Head of the Molecular Structure Division from 1989 to 2001. His research was instrumental in advancing the understanding of biomolecular structure and the interactions of molecules with proteins.
Prior to his distinguished career in medical research, Feeney honed his expertise in the private sector at Varian Associates, a manufacturer of scientific instruments. This diverse background informed his scholarly work and provided a unique perspective that enriched his contributions to the scientific community. His research focused on critical areas, such as the binding of ligands to enzymes like dihydrofolate reductase.
Jim was coauthor of the widely known NMR textbook Emsley, Feeney, Sutcliff: High Resolution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (Pergamon Press, 1966). This book eventually evolved into the journal Progress in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, which Jim co-founded in 1966 and co-edited until 2012 (1), and which comprehensively covers NMR advances, together with the associated developments in theory and applications until today.
Feeney's legacy is that of a dedicated and influential scientist who specialized in NMR technology at NIMR for many years. His meticulous and impactful research laid important groundwork in the field of molecular structure, leaving an enduring mark on the scientific world.
He is survived by his wife Margery and his four children Cathy, Claire, Adrian and Mark. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.
Annalisa Pastore
Stephan Grzesiek
(1) Emsley, J. Feeney, Fifty years of “Progress in NMR Spectroscopy” – An editorial from the founding Editors, Progress in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy 94–95 (2016) A1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnmrs.2016.05.001.