James Frederic Riley FRSE FRCSE (2 May 1912–17 January 1985) was a 20th-century English physician, radiologist and cancer specialist.
His identification (working jointly with Dr Geoffrey West) that the mast cell was the main producer of histamine in the human body resulted in his being made a visiting professor at the University of Montreal and to his being awarded the Claude Bernard Medal for medical achievement.
In the Second World War he served as Assistant Surgeon to the Scottish Emergency Medical Service, and for the final year served at the rank of Major with the OC Mobile Surgical Unit in India and Malaysia.
[5] Much of his research at Dundee was devoted to the mast cell and this led to his discovery of the origins of histamine.
[5] Much of his original laboratory equipment is held by the Tayside Medical History Museum at Ninewells Hospital.