Watson, John T. (John Thomas), 1940-

John Thomas Watson -- mechanical engineer, physiologist, and administrator -- was born on January 9, 1940 in Indianapolis, Indiana. His career has centered on the research, development, and validation of biomedical technologies for assisting the ailing heart. Watson began his career in the private sector, working as a student engineer at the Indianapolis Power and Light Company in the late 1950's. He relocated to Ohio in 1959 and studied for his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Cincinnati. Meanwhile, he worked as an advanced design engineer on business and computer systems at the National Cash Register Headquarters in Dayton, Ohio. After earning his B.S.M.E. in 1962, Watson attended the Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. For the next ten years, Watson remained in Dallas while taking various teaching positions at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. He earned a Ph.D. in Physiology from that institution in 1972; his dissertation was on the regulation of hormone release during reproduction. In 1974, Watson was appointed Chairman of the Graduate Studies Program in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center. His interest in studying and treating heart failure developed during his clinical work at the Parkland Hospital. In October 1976, Watson was appointed Chief of the Devices and Technology Branch (DTB), a research contract program within the Division of Heart and Vascular Diseases at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). He remained at this institute until 2003, eventually becoming Acting Deputy Director of the NHLBI in 1998 and Director of the Clinical and Molecular Medicine Program in 2000. As Chief of the DTB, Watson was responsible for administering a variety of contract-supported research programs devoted to researching and developing mechanical devices and system components for replacing or augmenting the heart. His duties included establishing long-term program goals, financial planning, overseeing clinical trials, and advocating new research areas such as bioengineering.

From the description of John T. Watson papers, 1964-2003. (National Library of Medicine). WorldCat record id: 316421177

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